The Harvest
by Tea Diva
Summary: A month has passed since the end of ME2. Kaidan Alenko's surprise visit takes a mysterious turn when both he and Shepard vanish. Garrus Vakarian must track them down lest he risk losing her again. FemmeShep/Garrus -COMPLETE-
1. Chapter 1

_All characters are owned by BioWare, Inc. This Shepard is based off my own, whose actions were more renegade than paragon during the events of the game.  
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The world was a circle cut into the air, split up and across by bisecting lines. The silver-skinned creature sitting between two boxes of cargo, its head bowed over a packaged meal that was definitely _not _native to its surroundings, had not the slightest inkling it was being targeted.

One deep breath to steady aim, exhale. All sights, sounds, even smells faded to the background, until only the observer and creature existed. That brief, tense moment overcame the senses. Another deep breath as a finger curled around the trigger, and- _there_! Release.

The bullet soared for its intended prey with unstoppable force. It struck the package from the creature's hands, causing it to hop in comical fashion before tearing off, unseen, into the back alley.

"Nice shot," complimented the woman kneeling beside him.

Garrus Vakarian hefted the rifle onto his shoulder with a self-satisfied grunt. She met his gaze, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She was dressed in casual clothing, her usually combed hair tangled from their excursions atop Afterlife. Below, Omega spread before them, a myriad of color and sound. "That's twenty-five for me, Shepard," he announced, watching as she readied her own rifle. "Think you can beat that?"

"I know I can," she declared with unshakeable confidence. Garrus chuckled, having expected nothing less. Target practice had become one of their favorite past times since docking in Omega. The Normandy had suffered heavy damage upon its return through the mass relay, tying up most if not all the crew in repairs. Much of it was superficial, but the exterior damage directly above her cabin rendered it useless. She had checked into a hotel at Miranda's insistence, who had stated (with a rare smile) that humanity's savior deserved better than sleeping on a pallet in engineering. Garrus had been overseeing the weapons' repair when he received Shepard's invite. He wasted no time in answering her call. While some of the crew had smiled at his departure, none questioned it. All had an unspoken understanding that he and the commander were to be given the utmost privacy.

_And we spend it shooting pyjaks, _he thought with some amusement. _Better than being shot _at.

"So," he began, rolling his shoulders to ease the ache standing still for so long brought on. "How will you do it?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," she countered, peering through the scope. She slowly moved left to right as she sought a target. "I don't have a tell like you do."

"I'm a bit...rusty on my human metaphors, Shepard," Garrus drawled.

She chuckled and resumed her search. "A tell is a term used in card games. It's how you know someone is bluffing, or if they have a really good hand. In your case, Garrus, it's right before you pull the trigger. Your eyes light up for a moment, you tense, and you take your shot. It's the same."

The turian, torn between admiration and surprise at how well she could read him, regarded her curiously. He said, "The same as wha?-" before realization dawned on him and he finished his statement with a decidedly self-conscious, "_Oh." _She stole a glance at him, smiling as she watched him gather his thoughts. Rallying at last, he countered, "Well, you know me, Shepard. I like to savor the last shot before popping the heat...wait," he said, shaking his head. "I said that once before, didn't I? Damn."

She laughed. "You might want to quit while you're ahead."

"So you like to remind me."

Shepard fell silent then, concentrating on potential targets. Garrus also kept his peace, casting his gaze down at the streets of Omega. Strange how life could turn on its ear in so short a time. Was it really only a few months ago that he set up shop here? That the only thing sustaining him was a sense of purpose born from Shepard's memory? Looking back now, he had no idea he'd be tapped for a suicide mission, let alone be part of _her _crew again. That he'd be the one she turned to at the zero hour.

Back when they were fighting to stop Saren, he hadn't the time to appreciate her beyond her role as commander. But after she died...well, that put everything into perspective. How clearly he could picture that day. The survivors, clustered together aboard the frigate that had answered the emergency beacon, listened in stunned silence as Joker delivered the crushing news. Tali and Liara had openly wept; Wrex shook his head. Kaidan Alenko staggered as if physically hit. He then sank to the floor, so shocked it seemed he had switched off. But the hollow ache in Garrus' heart was so profound that six months after her death, the pain, regret, and remorse hadn't gone away. Everyone else had moved on. Eventually he had, too, choosing to take matters into his own hands with the merc presence on Omega. It had felt good being around others who shared the same beliefs as he did. Making a difference.

Until it had all come crashing down, of course.

With the loss of his squad and the foul taste of Sidonis' betrayal fresh in his mouth, he had been ready to die that day. And, just like that, Shepard was there, restoring his wounded spirit and giving him new purpose. Giving him his _life _back. He could never repay her enough.

Garrus' gaze returned to Shepard, taking in what he saw. Two years spent laid up had done nothing to slow her reflexes or dampen her skills. She could still shoot, dodge and run just as efficiently as ever. He had lost count of how many times she had saved his ass in frantic firefights. Her prowess was nigh legendary- something that was not limited to battle, either.

The thought called up a very specific memory from the other night, forcing him to focus on something, anything, that would distract him.

His gaze fell to a pair of turians patrolling the grounds outside Afterlife. They seemed quite unaffected by their surroundings- no, scratch that. Two asari dancers, emerging from the entrance, sent provocative smiles their way as they sauntered past. The turians practically ran after them. The quartet passed a human couple caught in a _very _public display of affection. Garrus nearly groaned aloud. Afterlife and its unashamed atmosphere was absolutely no help at all. His grip tightened on his rifle. Shepard had to find her target, and fast. He needed to shoot something.

_...aaand there's another fine metaphor to add to your colloquial repertoire._

"Target in sight," Shepard murmured, breaking into his thoughts. He had just looked up when she pulled the trigger. A distant yelp echoed far below, accompanied by a krogan's exasperated growl of, "Those little bastards are everywhere!" What followed was a series of frenzied gunshots and panicked pyjak squeals.

Garrus chuckled as she knelt beside him again. "Didn't think you'd be able to find another one," he remarked. "I could have sworn I got them all."

"You haven't decimated the population just yet," she countered smoothly, reloading the rifle with skilled precision. She appeared thoughtful for a moment, then turned to face him. Her eyes gleamed. "That last shot brought my total to twenty-five, too. What shall the tie breaker be?"

Garrus grinned. He definitely liked where this metaphor would take them. "Whatever it is," he said in a low murmur, "it will involve the handling of a firearm." She chuckled and moved closer to him. He watched as she took hold of his shouldered rifle and gently eased it out of his hand. Her other slid round his waist. In response he reached out, intending on drawing her against him. There was a flash of delight in her eyes, then laughter as she took hold of his holstered pistol and wrenched it free. Garrus could do no more than yell, 'Hey!' when she fired over his shoulder. A pyjak shrieked in indignation.

Caught between exasperated admiration and the distinct feel that he should have seen this coming, he shook his head. "That was a dirty trick, Shepard," he growled, holding her firmly when she tried to squirm free.

"Maybe," she agreed, smiling as she set his pistol down and ran her fingers down the length of his cheek. "But it's my job to be stealthy. I have to take advantage of every opportunity."

Garrus leaned in closer, inches from her face. "Except you got caught this time. Not going to be so easy getting away," he promised, squeezing her waist for emphasis.

Shepard's laugh was throaty. "Who said I _wanted _to get away?" Garrus reached up to trail one finger down her face. The fiery recklessness in her eyes, the way her body cradled against his, the feel of her hand upon his cheek- how could he resist? But he didn't get the chance to suggest they continue this discussion in private. Their foreheads were just about touching when Joker, with his usual impeccable timing, contacted her. Garrus gave a heavy sigh that Shepard smiled at before she slid off his lap.

"What is it, Joker?"

"EDI just told me she intercepted a message for you on a frequency Omega definitely does _not _use."

Shepard's brows lifted. "Any idea who it's from?"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

She exchanged an amused look with Garrus. "Try me."

"Kaidan Alenko," Joker told them, surprise evident in his voice. "Says he's on his way to Omega and wants to meet with you."

At their former teammate's name Shepard's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Did he happen to say why he was coming?"

"No. Just that he'll be here tomorrow."

"What's an Alliance soldier doing all the way out here?" Garrus questioned once she signed off, unable to keep the edge from his voice. Memories of meeting Kaidan on Horizon still did not sit well with him. Before, the mission had prevented him from analyzing it too closely, but now, as he looked into Shepard's eyes and felt a spark of anger come alive within him, he couldn't believe Kaidan's presumption. He had accused her of being a traitor, claimed Cerberus had manipulated her thinking, and turned his back on everything they ever had together.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Garrus," she replied. A faint smile teased her lips. "I know what you're thinking, and I appreciate the thought. I'm fine, really. What concerns me more is who sent him here, not why," she continued, gathering the spare thermal clips piled on the ground and placing them inside a bag. Garrus cleaned up the rest and strapped his rifle to his back just as she did. They strode side by side across the rooftop for the exit. He let her go through first, shadowing her as they descended the stairs. The club's music grew steadily louder.

"Do you think Anderson sent him?" he questioned, having to raise his voice.

Shepard shrugged. "Doesn't seem like it. Udina would probably have a coronary just knowing Anderson talked to me without his knowledge. Kaidan is acting on his own."

Garrus conceded her point with a curt nod. "Well, whatever his reasons are, let me know."

At this she turned on the stair to smile up at him, the same as the one she had given him back when they were reunited. He had not seen her smile like that at anyone else, not even Kaidan. "Oh, you'll know," she assured him. "The message never said anything about this being a solo meeting."


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: This is based off my Shepard, whose actions were more renegade than paragon during the events of the game._

Thanks to yet another one of Joker's timely messages Shepard learned her cabin was repaired and returned to the Normandy with Garrus. She spent most of the day and evening visiting with the crew, going over what repairs had been made, what still needed to be done, before summoning her squad to the briefing room. She explained about their Alliance guest, informing them he would be receiving a soldier's welcome. Miranda and Jacob, wise to her tactic, approved wholeheartedly. Others balked, Grunt and Jack especially, but soon relented when Shepard pointed out that it never hurt reminding Kaidan who was responsible for saving the galaxy. Garrus chuckled and said, "Keeping him on edge by appearing to make him feel welcome. Makes me glad we're on the same side, Shepard."

It was quite late by the time she was finished with her duties. Exhaustion had set in at last; all she wanted to do was lay down and sleep. But when she entered her cabin and found Garrus already waiting for her, two bottles of wine, two glasses and two cartons the food emporium used for carry-out service on the table, she could not keep from smiling. He correctly read her expression and gestured to the seat beside him. "It's not five-star quality," he began, shrugging as she sat down. "But it's better than trying to digest what Gardner likes to call food."

She laughed, selected the carton marked with a poor rendition of the letter 'H' and pried it open. Only then did she realize how hungry she was. Grabbing a fork, she speared a piece of the marinated meat and popped it into her mouth. Garrus smiled at her, and leaned forward to pick up the other one. He devoured his in no time flat, then set out to pour them each a helping of wine. Shepard was about halfway done with her meal when she realized the music was different. Instead of the usual pleasant, upbeat tune, lyrics of an old-fashioned, somewhat sappy romantic ballad played. She eyed him. "Garrus..."

"Do you like it?" he asked, hopeful. "Yeoman Chambers helped me with some more research. She claimed this song was very popular during Earth's late twentieth century."

Shepard arched a brow. "Are you still trying to seduce me?"

"I thought I'd do better this time around. Well, with the wine anyways," he said, indicating the bottle.

The one meant for her was indeed a better vintage- and way above what he termed a vigilante's salary. "Isn't that the same one I saw you buy the other day?" she asked, giving him a knowing smile. "The one you told me was meant for Nalah Butler?"

"Erm," he responded, tugging at his collar self-consciously. "...yes. No," he amended quickly. "I _do_ want to buy her a bottle. Eventually. She invited me to dinner one time and told me how much she loved wine, especially red. I thought you'd like it too, so I used those extra creds I had to get one." He scratched at his temple thoughtfully. "The shopkeeper told me it was red but I think she mislead me. It's not red at all. More of a purple-red..."

"Garrus, you're rambling," Shepard pointed out. When he immediately clammed up she laughed softly, set her food down and scooted closer to him. He watched her, both pleased and a little embarrassed, at her nearness. "When are you going to get it through your head that you can dispense with the props? Now," she said, climbing onto his lap and laying her hands on his shoulders. She eyed him provocatively. "What do you say we turn this crap off and have some real fun?"

He responded with a small laugh. His arms slid round her waist. "Remind me not to try improving what's already just right."

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By noon the next day Kaidan arrived. The commander was there to meet him, her squad members flanking her. His initial reaction was hard to gauge. He had perfected the soldier's mask since their last encounter. Nonetheless, he treated the crew with the utmost courtesy. He smiled politely at the few questions he was asked, shook Joker's hand, raised a curious eyebrow when EDI greeted him, then made his way to her.

It was Miranda who stepped forward, as per their previously discussed plan. "Welcome aboard the Normandy," she said in crisp tones. She stood to Shepard's left, chin lifted , her eyes resolutely fixed upon his face. After she gave her name and rank Kaidan spared her, and the Cerberus insignia on her uniform, a curt glance. His response was a barely cordial nod before he addressed Shepard.

"I'd like to speak with you, Commander."

She nodded. "Let's go to my cabin," she said and dismissed the others with a gesture. Only Garrus remained, hovering at her shoulder with his arms crossed. The way Kaidan looked at him, it seemed as if he only just realized the turian was there. After a long, somewhat tense moment, he extended his hand toward Garrus. He was civil enough to shake it before quickly releasing him. Kaidan gave him a smile that was nonetheless strained. _I can already see how interesting this is going to be, _Shepard thought.

They boarded the elevator, she and Garrus standing to the right while Kaidan kept his distance. The silence could only be described as awkward. "Cabin, eh?" he said at last. There was a slight edge to his tone. "Seems this Normandy has quite a few perks over the original."

"You haven't seen the half of it," Garrus remarked dryly.

The elevator doors opened, Shepard exiting first. Once entering the cabin she took a seat on the couch, gesturing for Kaidan to do the same. At seeing Garrus had not moved he shifted his glance to Shepard. "I had hoped this meeting would be private," he said in slightly aggrieved tones.

She leveled her gaze on him. "I'm considering this a reunion among very old, very close shipmates."

The skin around Kaidan's eyes tightened, the only indication how her cool response had affected him. "Very well," he conceded after a moment. His disappointment could not be more acute. Garrus took his place beside her without a word. Their close proximity did not go unnoticed. "So. It's all really changed, hasn't it?"

Shepard gave a little shrug. "You said it yourself, Kaidan. But I don't think you came all the way to the Terminus Systems just to point out the obvious."

"You're right, I didn't," he stated, his tone turning businesslike. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands together. "Word about what you did to the Collectors has spread. The Council recognizes your efforts on behalf of humanity. It's willing to welcome you back."

Shepard digested this for all of one second. "How considerate of them," she replied mildly. The Council, no matter who ran it, distanced itself from what it perceived as problematic, and were just as quick to embrace it after the fact. "Why send you? This could have just as easily been sent via a message."

"They didn't send me," Kaidan replied. "I came myself. Something this important couldn't be trusted to messages. They are easily intercepted. Now that I know you've got an AI and a geth on this ship, it's a good thing it _wasn't _handled that way." He frowned slightly. "Cerberus expanding its horizons?"

"This again?" Garrus scoffed. "You and the Council know damn well that if not for Cerberus the Collectors would have won. I don't agree with their ethics but at least they had the foresight to see Shepard for who she was and restore her when everyone else- including you- turned their backs."

Kaidan eyed Garrus with poorly concealed irritation. "And you," he said pointedly. "I know about what you did here, Garrus. To think a former C-Sec officer turning vigilante. It's disgraceful."

"There are worse callings," Garrus riposted nonchalantly. His expression was anything but. "What my team and I stood for here gave the people hope. It was worth seeing all those bastards dead knowing we were keeping them safe."

"The ends justify the means?" Kaidan shook his head in disappointment. "A turian named Sidonis would have said otherwise. You're lucky I don't turn C-Sec loose on you out of my civic duty as a soldier."

Shepard stared, part horrified, part alarmed, but mostly angry that he would suggest such a thing. It was also the wrong thing to say. Garrus leaned forward and growled, "You have no idea what Sidonis did to us. He deserved what he got."

"And murderers deserve their just punishment."

"Enough," Shepard barked, her whiplash tone halting what was fast on its way to an open confrontation. "Garrus, stand down," she ordered. Garrus, one hand on his holstered pistol, relented without delay. Shepard then speared Kaidan with a glare. "I'd appreciate it if you refrained from threatening my crew. As commander I am responsible for their actions, ill or otherwise. Are we clear?"

It was clear Kaidan did not like hearing that. But since this was her ship, he responded with a nod. "Perfectly, ma'am."

A tense silence passed. Shepard spent it studying the man seated across from her. He cast furtive glances at Garrus, at the cabin, but she could read absolutely nothing in his eyes. Any other reservations he may have had were neatly concealed beneath the soldier's mask. At last she said, a little incredulous, "So that's the reason you came out here? To invite me back to the Alliance?"

"It seemed the most logical thing to do," he answered stiffly. "The Collectors have been dealt with, and humanity needs its hero to boost morale. Things at the Citadel are not going well for us."

"That's for the Council to deal with, not Shepard," Garrus snapped. "Udina would just as soon cast her out than have the Alliance stand behind her."

"I agree," she said, folding her arms. "Udina hasn't exactly won my loyalty. That bastard's on such a power trip he's forgotten who put him where he is in the first place."

"He isn't my favorite person either," Kaidan admitted. "He shot down the Collectors' association with the Reapers during my Horizon debriefing. Shepard," he said, looking her in the eye. His voice lowered slightly. "We all know the truth. We have to make him see so the rest of the galaxy can, too. That's why we need you back. You have to understand this."

Shepard had encountered dozens of people across the galaxy asking for her help and understanding. There usually was a brief period of debate over the pros and cons her decision presented before she made up her mind. This, on the other hand, required neither debate nor time to mull over. "I'm sorry, Kaidan," she replied, shaking her head. "I can't go back, not while the Reapers are still out there. They threaten _everyone. _I'm not going to wait around while the Alliance decides whether or not it wants to believe me, nor am I letting Cerberus try to control what I do. I cut all ties with them."

"But you'd still accept their help." Not a question, but a statement.

"Miranda and Jacob both have contacts within the organization that I'll use, yes," Shepard explained, making no apologies. "At this point I'll take whatever I can get. I don't care where it comes from."

Some time passed before a ghost of a smile tugged at Kaidan's lips. It was the first time he looked as he did two years ago. "Your convictions were always very strong. All right, Shepard," he said, leaning back. Resignation shone in his eyes. "You made your point. I just wanted to make sure you made the right decision. I shouldn't have doubted you."

"No. You shouldn't have," Garrus remarked in mild tones. Kaidan sent him a curt glance but said nothing more.

Shepard, sensing the meeting was at its end, rose to her feet. The other two did as well, watching and waiting. "Is there anything else you need, Kaidan? Supplies?"

He shook his head. "I didn't plan on staying long, Commander. I'd appreciate it if you would walk me to my ship. Some of your crew looked like they'd eat me alive."

She agreed. As Kaidan went ahead Garrus leaned in close. "Want me to come with you?" he asked quietly.

"That won't be necessary," she replied, also keeping her tone low. At seeing how his eyes smoldered she touched his arm. "Don't let it get to you. He isn't going to turn you in."

He stole a glance over at Kaidan, who stood waiting by the elevator entrance. "All the same, he was way out of line with what he said."

"I'll talk to him," she promised. He nodded, informed her he'd be waiting in the main battery, turned and left the cabin. Kaidan's eyes locked with Garrus' as the turian passed. Shepard could almost see the spark that flashed between them before Garrus vanished into the elevator without another word. Shepard just shrugged at the lifted brow Kaidan sent her.

Emerging from the elevator onto the bridge, the pair was waylaid by Dr. Chakwas. Tears glistened in her eyes as she stepped forward to embrace Kaidan. "I had no idea you were here," he exclaimed in surprise, drawing away from her. That same, disapproving look he had given Shepard on Horizon was in his eyes. "I never expected you to be working with Cerberus too."

"Your expectations are not unfounded, Alenko," she replied with a smile. "Like I told the commander, I'm not part of Cerberus. Never was. I'm here because of her. And Jeff, of course," she added with a fond glance toward the cockpit. "But it is good to see you. You must join us for a drink," she requested. "There are so many memories to share, and time must be made to share them."

Having recovered from the shock of finding her aboard a Cerberus vessel, he smiled warmly. "I'd be glad to. Just say the place and I'll be there."

"Excellent! Are you up for another round of serrice ice brandy, Commander?" There was a glimmer of almost childish glee in her eyes.

Shepard chuckled. "Just as long as there's a cot nearby so you don't have to sleep it off on the floor." Chakwas laughed, embraced Kaidan and departed. The rest of the crew bid Kaidan farewell as they walked toward the airlock. Miranda, standing in the cockpit behind Joker, favored Kaidan with nothing more than a lift of the chin.

Leaving the Normandy behind, the pair strolled down the length of the corridor toward the center of Omega. Music echoed from beyond Afterlife's walls, occasionally muffled by news reports, transport cars and the impatient demands of those determined to gain entry into the club. The elcor bodyguard, as immobile as a rock and just as emotive, responded to each angry patron with the drawling monotone common to its race.

The doorway near the transports led to another docking bay. As soon as they entered Shepard recognized the Alliance cruiser despite modifications made to hide its origin. A few people lingering in the area moved out of sight, either from pure dislike or deference to Shepard. This was not lost on Kaidan. "It must be nice not being harassed in a place like this," he remarked. Shepard thought she detected some bitterness in his tone. "The agent in charge of reporting incoming and outgoing ships held me up for at least forty minutes." He indicated the turian standing by the far wall, assault rifle at the ready. He glared at all passers-by, even his own kind.

"Taking out all those mercs keeps the curious at bay," Shepard answered wryly, and he smiled a bit. They walked on for several moments before she spoke again. "About what you said to Garrus-"

He held up a hand. "I'm not going to tell C-Sec," he informed her with a sigh. "Like you said, you're responsible for what Garrus did. I don't agree but C-Sec can hardly persecute _you_." She could not argue against the truth of that, so she nodded.

Coming to a stop before his ship's airlock, he keyed in an entrance code. The door slid open as he turned to face her. "Shepard," he ventured, only to fall silent. Whatever he was about to say did not come easy. She waited, patient as always when it came to hearing people out. He took a step forward, faltered, tried again. At last he held out his hand. When she shook it he tightened his grip, very briefly. "Keep in touch," he requested in a low murmur. "Please."

The concern underlying his tone touched her. "I will," she promised, meaning it. His smile was very small but spoke volumes. As he prepared to turn away a puzzled look crossed his features, then alarm.

"Get down!" he shouted, throwing himself at her. The pair fell to the ground, arms and legs entwined, just as a bullet struck the right side of the airlock. Shepard quickly slipped into combat mode, separating herself from Kaidan and keeping low to the ground as she sought cover. He had done the same, his assault rifle already in hand. He fired a volley toward the overhead catwalk. Shepard withdrew her sniper rifle and peered through the scope.

A shadowed figure hunched behind some crates, the gun in hand shifting as he reloaded. Identifying him was useless; the lighting was too poor. It hardly mattered, anyway. He had made the mistake of opening fire on them. As soon as he stood she took a shot. The bullet lodged into his shoulder. He staggered back, one hand grabbing at his wound. Kaidan finished him off with a biotic move that sent him careening to his death. The body hit the ground with a resounding thud. She remained in cover, scanning the catwalk for any others. When none were found she signaled Kaidan.

"Shepard!" he called, hurrying to her side.

"I'm not hurt," she informed him as she rose to her full height. She refrained from grimacing at her sore thigh muscles, a pain that resolutely reminded her on insisting the Normandy get a hot tub, ASAP. "Come on. I want to know who the hell that guy was."

Kaidan nodded. "Right behind you."

She took the lead, walking swiftly toward where the enemy landed behind a stack of crates. There, lying among the ruins of a shattered glass tank, was a body shrouded in a black robe, its face hidden beneath a cowl. Blood pooled around the head, staining the floor crimson. Shepard knelt down to inspect the body. "No merc insignias, no extra shields. This guy was wearing basic armor," she reported, slightly awed. She moved on to the head. Kaidan cocked his gun as she lowered the cowl.

At first she could not determine what it was she stared at. She thought she recognized certain traits and features found in every known life form across the galaxy. But this _thing_- gaunt, with patches of multi-colored skin stitched onto its face- was nothing like she had ever seen before.

"My God," Kaidan breathed, lowering his weapon. "What _is _that?"

Shepard kept her revulsion under wraps. "That's what I plan to find out." She touched her ear, activating her communicator. "Joker, I need a little help here. I've got a body I think Mordin is going to find _very _interesting."

"Understood, Commander. Sending some help your way."

She acknowledged and disconnected the link. Kaidan had knelt opposite her, his gaze fixed on the body's right arm. "Shepard, take a look at this," he instructed, unable to conceal his alarm. She peered over the body, watching as he eased the sleeve past the wrist.

"Its hands...they look like-"

Shepard never got the chance to finish her sentence. The body abruptly sat up, latching onto both their necks with an iron grip. She felt something pinch, then pierce her flesh. She managed only a grunt of pain before her whole body went numb. There was a glimpse of Kaidan's astonished expression, a sideways view of passing ships beyond the window, and the grotesque, snarling face of the formerly dead assassin. The last thing she heard was her name slurred in a guttural voice. After that, nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: All characters are owned by BioWare, Inc. About time I updated this thing. ;p_

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Garrus, accompanied by the silent Grunt and not-so-silent Mordin, led the way to Shepard's last known location. Her somewhat breathless request for assistance indicated she had recently seen battle, making him among the first to volunteer for this mission. It wasn't worry for Shepard's safety that drove him to do it, (no one knew how well she could take care of herself like he did) but in the hopes that if there were any other skirmishes, he'd be there. Omega had shown him that when shots were fired, most answered back even if the initial quarrel had nothing to do with them.

After another series of Mordin's barely coherent mutterings Grunt let out an irritated growl. "Quit _talking _already."

The salarian didn't even favor Grunt with a glance. "Too many possibilities," he murmured, tapping his chin as they walked. "New sickness threatens Omega? More plague? No, no, cured it, Daniel assured there were no more outbreaks. Still, new strains must always be considered. Too many species-"

"Why don't you save all that guessing for when we actually _see _it?" Garrus suggested, intrigued at how Mordin's speech gave the impression that breathing was not an option.

He blinked at him. "Right, of course. Will wait."

"Good," Grunt remarked in gruff tones. "If you kept talking I would have had to shut you up myself."

The three entered the second docking bay. Garrus spotted Kaidan's ship, distinguishable despite the absence of markers. His curiosity over why it was still here was soon abated: the attack must have taken place before he had the chance to leave. Where, then, were they? Garrus had expected Shepard to be waiting for them. It wasn't like her to disappear.

Grunt suddenly came to an abrupt halt, assault rifle immediately in hand. "I smell blood," he announced darkly. At this Garrus pulled out his pistol, slowing his strides as he followed the krogan toward a large stack of crates. "There," he said, waving his rifle for them. "Smells rotten."

"I never found the smell of blood particularly appealing myself," Garrus commented in casual tones. "But I've gotten used to it after being here for so long." He paused, morbidly amused. "Hmm. Definitely _not _a good thing." Grunt gave a little bark of laughter. The turian responded with a slight grin before taking the lead again. Bits of shattered glass littered the floor beyond the crates, along with a few spent thermal clips, a modded sniper rifle and a rather large bloodstain.

Mordin hurried forward and went to a knee, using his omni-tool to scan the blood. Motioning for Grunt to cover their backs, Garrus attempted to signal Shepard. Nothing but static echoed from her channel. He frowned as he lowered his arm. Now he was starting to get worried.

"Astonishing," Mordin murmured.

Garrus glanced down at the professor. "Got something?"

"Blood composition very strange. Human but with trace amounts of salarian and batarian. Need to study samples more closely. Break them down." He waved the omni-tool across the ground a few more times, the fingers of his right hand swiftly skimming the surface. "Pity. Would have liked to see this body."

"I saw it," stated a wheezing voice to their right. Grunt and Garrus whirled around as one, leveling their guns on the hunched batarian leaning against a graffiti-colored wall. He wore shabby clothing, and one of his eyes was swollen shut.

Mordin immediately went to scan him. "Immune system compromised. High fever, labored breathing, blindness acute in upper left eye, threatening others." His lips pursed, eyes narrowing very slightly. "Death, imminent."

The batarian managed a raspy laugh. "Tell me something I _don't _know," he grumbled. He coughed a few more times, using what appeared to be a soiled cloth to wipe his mouth. "Rather die than get harvested anyway."

"Harvested?" Garrus' frown was quizzical. "What do you mean?"

The batarian's head lolled back on his neck as he glanced up at the turian. "You must not get to the back alleys very often," he observed, his last word drowned out by another coughing fit. The professor wasted no time in administering medi-gel. A confused look crossed the batarian's face before relief took its place. He drew a deep breath, exhaled. "Thanks. Almost forgot what breathing was like."

Garrus sheathed his weapon. "You were saying something about being harvested?"

"Yeah," the batarian murmured, shifting position until he hugged his drawn knees. "Bunch of guys in black robes. Always have an Eclipse merc or two with them. They hang around the alleys waiting on poor bastards like me to die." He shook his head. "You're barely cold when they start cutting you up."

"Sounds like my kind of people," Grunt remarked with a grim smile.

Garrus' eyes narrowed. Eclipse's involvement only spelled trouble. "Why do they do that?"

"Black market likely possibility," Mordin suggested, his expression hard. "Took care of a few organ thieves myself back in clinic."

The batarian leaned forward, pointing one finger at Mordin. "Hey, I've been on this hellhole long enough to know what a black market op looks like, and this ain't it," he insisted. "They only take certain parts- a leg, a head, hell even a finger. I once saw them cut off a turian's-"

"We get the idea," Garrus interrupted, unable to repress a shudder at what the batarian implied. "Did you see what they looked like?"

He responded with a snort. "Just think of what you three would look like if parts of you were patched together."

A confusing, somewhat unsettling observation. "Do you think they're the same as the body that was here?" Garrus asked Mordin.

"Uncertain. Must run tests. Need more data."

Garrus nodded. "Did you see two humans here before?" he said to the batarian.

"Oh, yeah," he replied, not bothering to hide his sneer. "I tried to keep my distance. Don't really like looking at humans. Makes me wish I was completely blind."

Garrus, whose own opinion of humans depended more on character and less on looks (he was a poor judge of what humans considered attractive- Shepard notwithstanding) nonetheless felt the slight against her insulting. Kneeling in front of him, he smirked and leaned in close. "How about a little more detail and a little less commentary?" He flashed his pistol, adding, in mild tones, "We're in something of a hurry."

Grunt punctuated this statement by firing a warning shot just past the batarian's ear. He flinched violently, his arms reaching over his head. "You don't have to shoot me! All right, all right," he said quickly, shying away when Garrus grabbed a fistful of his shirt. "The two humans were standing by that ship over there," he explained, gesturing for Kaidan's craft. "Someone started shooting at them from right over my head. The humans shot back and the guy fell from the catwalk. They came over to check on it when it sat up and stabbed them in their necks."

Garrus did not like the sound of that one bit. "Were they-" he broke off. Damn. He could barely bring himself to say the word. Regaining as much control as his current emotional state would allow, he went on. "Were either of them hurt?"

A shrug. "Don't know. Both went limp, like they just passed out."

"Yes? What happened then?" This from Mordin, who had leaned forward like an avid child captivated by a story. Grunt also had his attention riveted to the batarian, one hand tightening on his assault rifle.

"More harvesters showed up and carried them away. Seemed real interested in one of them. Kept saying a name over and over again." He gave a short laugh. "Glad they didn't come after _me_."

Garrus knew there was no need to ask whose name the harvesters kept repeating. Shepard's reputation always preceded her, never more so than now. "Thanks for the information," he said to the batarian, releasing him and rising to his feet.

Another shrug. "That's about all I'm good for," he remarked before coughing into his cupped hand. Mordin left him with more medi-gel, as well as directions to the clinic. He spoke so swiftly Garrus doubted the batarian understood. But he accepted the medi-gel with a nod, leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. Moments later he started snoring. Loudly.

Grunt approached Garrus as Mordin joined him. "How are we going to find where those bastards took Shepard?"

"Staking out the back alleys might be our best bet," Garrus responded curtly. "If we find one of the harvesters we can pump it for information."

The krogan grinned, his eyes gleaming with the eagerness for battle commonplace in his species. "I like the sound of that. A lot."

Truth be told, so did Garrus. His anger hadn't been this strong since the time he and Shepard stormed the warehouse in pursuit of Harkin. Cornering him had been as satisfying as when he lodged a bullet in the back of Sidonis' head. Regardless, he had the presence of mind to understand one was better than three for this mission. "I'll go. I know my way around the alleys. And when I find them-" he lifted his pistol, eyeing it with the utmost anticipation. "-I plan on making them regret this."

Grunt gave an approving laugh. "I knew there was a reason I liked you. Good hunting."

***

After parting ways with the other two, Mordin promising to update him on the blood samples, Garrus, having retrieved his helmet, ventured into Omega's filthy back alleys. He decided it'd be easier obtaining information as Archangel rather than Garrus Vakarian; reports of his alter ego's 'death' would certainly keep things in his favor. He doubted that Eclipse, or the Blood Pack and Blue Suns for that matter, had fully recovered from his presence. _Just one more thing I've got in common with Shepard, _he thought with a wry smile as he took position atop a building. _Nothing scares someone more than a ghost._

The alley stretched below him, rank with the stench of sickness, refuse and the combined, indescribable scents that were always present in a multiracial settlement. At first it had sickened him, much like the smell of blood. But, as with all things, one gets accustomed when necessity is involved.

Or comfort.

Garrus could not deny it. The time spent on the mission, of being on call to march into battle at her side to its final culmination at the Collector base, had conditioned him to always having Shepard near; her absence was reminiscent of a physical blow he had yet to recover from. His eyes narrowed, his hands curled into fists. He'd be damned if he lost her again. Removing the sniper rifle from his back, he propped it on the ledge and peered through the scope.

The majority of the squatters were batarian, with some vorcha and humans thrown into the mix. All the species kept to their own kind, huddled around blazing waste receptacles, rummaging through piles of salvage, or curled up in corners. The sight infuriated Garrus. Here was the result of Omega's corrupted, lawless system oppressing the weak with impenetrable force. Every time he shot a merc, or hijacked a vessel filled with illicit goods, he believed it was another support broken away from those in power. The reality was for all his team's efforts, their disruptions were about as effective as trying to fly a ship into another system without enough fuel: pointless. His one consolation was that taking down Garm, Jaroth and Tarak had significantly reduced the three gangs' presence. But he knew that it was only a matter of time before one of the three gangs tried to gain a foothold again. Eclipse, it seemed, was it. No matter. Its biggest mistake was targeting Shepard; Garrus had every intention of making them wish they hadn't.

An hour passed. Two. He remained vigilant for any sign of harvesters, selecting new positions in which to survey the alley. So intent on searching for cowled heads he was taken aback by the few quarians that happened by. Chiding himself, he went to move to another location when he heard a low voice murmur, "Please...don't do this..." to his left. Slowly, Garrus crept across the rooftop and glanced over the edge, seeing a narrow space branching off from the alley. A batarian lay on the ground, one hand lifted in a pleading gesture. Standing above him were two figures. One wore the unmistakable yellow of an Eclipse merc. The other, a black robe. Garrus readied himself for combat.

The harvester had knelt beside the batarian, ignoring his continued protests as it withdrew a large, rather nasty looking serrated knife. Garrus watched, part disgusted, part fascinated, as the harvester glided the blade across the batarian's cheek, neck and brow. The Eclipse merc, human and looking decidedly bored, scowled. "Hurry up," he insisted impatiently. "Doc says he needs these parts before the latest batch goes bad." When there was no response his scowl deepened. "Goddamn creepy things," he muttered. "Gotta go through some crazy ritual just to cut someone up."

Ritual was right. The harvester's knife had traveled down the batarian's chest in slow, spiraling motions. When it rested on the right arm the harvester froze. The would-be victim began whimpering, then started to scream as the harvester pressed the blade in. A single red line formed on the surface of the skin before Garrus opened fire.

His shot pierced the harvester's left temple and exploded out the right. Bits of blood and brain splattered onto the ground, soaking the discarded papers there. The body teetered for an instant, then exploded into pieces. Most landed on the batarian, who reacted with a gasping cry before he scurried away. Garrus, briefly distracted by the odd yet hauntingly _familiar_ way the body fell apart, suddenly came back to the present at hearing a weapon being drawn. He barely managed to duck for cover as a stream of bullets soared past him. At hearing the echo of an empty clip Garrus stood and unleashed a concussive shot. The merc flew back a good several feet, crashing into a pile of old ship parts. The turian made short work of descending the building; the instant the merc jumped to his feet Garrus was there.

"Holy shit!" he gasped, his eyes wide. His hands fumbled for his gun. "Archangel! But you're dead!"

Garrus responded by slamming the merc against the wall. His pistol clattered to the ground. "Dead?" he repeated in a throaty growl. He chuckled and leaned forward, applying pressure to the human's neck. "If so, then you must be too. Or you're seeing a ghost."

Knowledge that he was definitely still alive put some fire into the merc's eyes. "Fuck you," he spat. "I know what you did to the old boss and the others. If you want answers, ask someone else. I'm not talking."

"Is that so?" Garrus delivered a devastating punch to the man's gut. His eyes bulged, his mouth dropped open, his voice choked on an anguished cry before he collapsed. Garrus planted a heavy foot on the human's shoulder, keeping him pinned on the ground. "I'm not here about your new boss, or even what you plan on doing here. I'm more interested in them," he said, motioning at the remains of the harvester. The sick batarian, he noticed, cowered nearby, watching the scene with glazed, frightened eyes.

"I don't know about the harvesters!" the merc protested, grimacing. One hand pressed against his abdomen, as if it somehow allayed his pain. "They belong to the doctor. He pays us to escort them into the back alleys to collect body parts."

"Who's the doctor? What does he want the parts for?"

"Beats me," he replied through clenched teeth. "I just collect my pay and go. Better that way." He yelped then, for Garrus leaned over, snatched him by the collar and hoisted him off his feet. "Stop, stop, stop!" he cried, his color draining when Garrus shoved his gun into his face. "I told you everything I know!"

Garrus clicked the gun. The merc trembled in his grasp; he had the feeling that had he bothered to look, he would have seen he soiled his pants, too. "Not everything. You escort them here, you escort them back to the doctor. I need to know where that is."

"What? He'd kill me if I told you that!"

"Oh? Would you rather die here?" Garrus asked, pressing the gun into his cheek. There was a brief, tense moment before the merc shook his head. _Selfish son of a bitch, _Garrus thought sourly. _You'd kill an innocent without a thought, but you'll save your own ass when your death stares you in the face. _"Well?" he said, withdrawing his gun and releasing him. "I'm listening."

"Shit," the merc grumbled, looking angry at himself as he rubbed his hands together. But he was quick to speak the moment Garrus took a threatening step forward. "The boss hired the salarian doctor to create more men for Eclipse. He does it by sending those guys-" he indicated the mess of meat and bone that had once been a harvester- "out to collect body parts from batarians, humans and other salarians."

This was getting more and more hauntingly familiar. Garrus could not quite place _why _just yet. His thoughts had yet to adjust. "Why only parts?" he asked.

"Damned if I know. I'm telling the truth!" he added, warding Garrus off by lifting his hands, palms facing out. "Go ask him yourself. The doctor works out of his ship, _Eternity. _Refurbished Kowloon conveyer. It's docked on the far side of Omega. You can't miss it." Another pause, followed by the merc's somewhat irritated expression. "Hey, that's all the info I got for you. Want to ease up on me?" he asked, looking as if he were about to step back.

Garrus prevented it by flashing his gun. "I've got one more question for you, and you better have the answer," he threatened. The merc blanched, hands up. Enjoying the fear in the other man's eyes (maybe a little _too _much) he said, "Those harvesters took someone hostage earlier today. A woman. Is she on the _Eternity?_"

The merc turned thoughtful, then delighted. "Oh yeah," he chuckled. "The boss'll be glad knowing we got our hands on Commander Shepard. Heard the doc has something special in store for her." His grin turned malicious. "Hope he cuts her up. Bitch deserves it."

Garrus' eyes narrowed. A red haze seemed to drape across his vision; it wasn't until after the merc's face was awash in blood that he realized he had driven the butt of his pistol into the human's nose. Grabbing hold of the back of his collar, he dragged the sputtering, groaning merc out of the alley, past several gawking witnesses, before hurling him into a pile of refuse. The vorcha gathered there snarled at the intrusion and scattered.

He was on his way back to the harvester when Mordin contacted him. "Sample analysis inconclusive," he reported, sounding disappointed. "Any other leads?"

"A few," Garrus replied, now standing over the dead harvester. He relayed its location to Mordin. "I also know where the Eclipse is holding Shepard. I'm going there now."

"Alone?" Miranda's voice cut in. "Don't be foolish. You need at least two other people with you to have any chance for success."

Garrus had the utmost respect for Miranda, notably for her no-nonsense attitude and capability as a leader. She also did not resent or even question his new role as Shepard's lover; it simply was. And it was this reason that Garrus said, a little harsher than intended, "I know what I'm doing. I'll be back soon, and with the commander."

"Garrus-" Miranda began, but her words were lost to static as he deactivated the comm link. His mind set, he began walking, his pace swift and jerky. Those who were in his path quickly stepped aside. Garrus did not see them, or anything else for that matter. All his thoughts were focused on the salarian doctor the merc mentioned, and his unknown plans for Shepard. What possible connection could she have to him? The only salarian doctor she knew, or had known, outside of Mordin was-

No. It _couldn't_ be. He was dead. Garrus himself had made sure of it. But then, Shepard had made a miraculous return from the grave. _Only one way to find out. _

Emerging from the alley into the crowded marketplace, Garrus jogged, then ran, toward his destination. As he did he passed the mad batarian prophet, his warning of, 'The end is nigh!' chasing him all the way through the markets.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: All characters are owned by BioWare. _

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Voices echoed in the persistent darkness. Unintelligible, hoarse, as alien to her as the first time she heard a language not her own. The brief pang of fear was quickly subdued: panic would not help her assess her situation. She turned her thoughts to the problem at hand, treating it with the same tactical appraisal she would a battle. First of all, she knew was neither dead nor dying. There was no suffocating helplessness, no desperate attempt to fight the inevitable. She must wait.

The voices continued, transforming into deep growls echoed by a series of clacking sounds, as if someone were systematically hammering bolts into metal. Rising above this came the one word she understood. _They know who I am, _she thought, listening as chants of her name increased in decibel. Like Sovereign, like Harbinger. The bizarre, almost fanatic chorus did not create unease, only a deepening curiosity regarding how and why.

Something shifted in the darkness, moving closer, closer. Distracted from her thoughts, Shepard strained to make out the silhouette. No use. All but blind, she was left with only a sense that whoever this was, he now stood directly beside her. This knowledge was born from instinct similar to the ability to feel when an enemy had her in their sights. But unlike an enemy, there was no murderous intent. Still, she was wary. This person was undoubtedly responsible for her abduction. And it made her angry.

"Excellent, excellent!" cooed a male voice, high-pitched, sinister. Though it spoke a language she understood, she could not place the accent or tone to any particular species. "You have done well, my darlings." There was a pause as something emitted a series of guttural growls. "Another one?" he questioned eagerly. "He will make for an excellent addition to the next batch."

_Kaidan. _Was he here? Or did her captor have him in another room?

And just what did he mean by 'batch'?

Another growl sounded. There was an exasperated sigh, like a child being told he had to go to bed. "Yes, yes," he said, his tone decidedly annoyed. "I suppose I must see him." He chuckled. "Then again, if not for them I would not have the means to continue my research." Shepard had the distinct impression he turned away from her. "Go and fetch more parts. Don't worry about her. Even the infamous Commander Shepard cannot shake the effects of stasis that quickly." Another self-satisfied chuckle, the whoosh of an opening door, and Shepard was alone.

She did not know how much time passed. It could have been moments, hours, a day, for all it mattered. But when awareness began to creep back into her limbs, the strange, disjointed feeling that had hovered on the edge of her senses was banished. First, she realized she lay on a table. She tentatively flexed the fingers of each hand, fanned out her toes. Good. She wasn't paralyzed. Her calves tingled, the feeling slowly traveling up her legs, before there was a short, sharp burning pain along the inside of her thighs. She steadied her breathing, waiting for the discomfort to pass. _It always comes back to that, doesn't it?, _came the amused, wry thought.

Light flooding the room drew her from her mental musings. Momentarily dazzled by the brilliance, Shepard turned her head so she could pinpoint the source.

Shepard was not a woman who frightened easy. Years of intensive combat training had lent added strength to what she endured on Akuze. Then there had been Saren, the geth, Sovereign, her own death, and the Collectors. None of those events inspired fear. Just new resolve born from her experiences.

What she saw now- _that _sent a chill down her spine.

A flickering overhead light illuminated the corner of an otherwise shadowy room. Lab equipment was scattered all throughout, the pale glow of active monitors eerie in the semi-gloom. Shelves overflowing with specimen jars of various size lined the walls. Darkness obscured the identity of their contents. Metal cots were arranged in the center, severed body parts separated according to type and, from the look of it, color. Mutilated bodies lay in haphazard piles in the corner, the stench they gave off so powerful Shepard gagged a bit. Beyond the piles was a series of tanks like those she had seen in Okeer's lab. Many stood open, while a few others housed beings straight out of a horror vid. Humans with multi-colored limbs, batarians with mismatched heads, salarians with multiple lacerations on torso, legs and arms. The crude, antiquated look of the tanks was the final touch on an already disturbing room.

A rectangle of bright light shone on the left-hand side of the lab. Moments later a hunched figure in black appeared. Shepard recognized it as the same as the one that tried to shoot she and Kaidan. She lay still, keeping her eyes fixed on it. Anticipating it to check on her.

After approaching one of the tables, it dumped a pile of severed arms, hands and feet atop the ones already there. The garish light revealed the deep tan of a batarian foot, the smooth, ebony skin of a human arm, the yellowish-green hand of a salarian. As it separated them Shepard glimpsed its three-fingered hands, and the odd growth on each palm. Once she recognized it calm settled over her, caging her unease and leaving her mind clear. Determined. Somehow, some way, the madman behind this laboratory had gotten his hands on seeker swarms. It explained how they had been paralyzed- but not the thing surviving getting shot _and _thrown by biotics.

Waiting until after the robed figure left, Shepard sucked in a breath and attempted to sit up. She was met with resistance. Frowning, she tried again. She had full functionality; her body, however, seemed content to just lay there. As if already resigned to a fate she was damned she'd give in to. _Come on, Shepard. You can get up. You've endured worse._

It took some time, but at last her efforts paid off. Beads of sweat dampened her brow by the time she eased herself onto her elbows. The first thing she noticed was she had been stripped of her armor and weapons. She could not have felt more undressed were she actually nude.

Movement, shuffling, slow, originating from the far corner of the room made her stiffen. Something was coming toward her. Shepard focused what little mobility she had all on her right first. Though unarmed, she was far from helpless.

The unseen figure drew closer. Shepard counted her heartbeats- one, two, _three!- _and swung. Her fist connected, causing her assailant to release a surprised cry of pain. By the time she realized she had punched Kaidan she lost what little balance she had and tumbled to the floor. Arms encircled her immediately, tight, unyielding, as he attempted to slow her fall. Yet his hands trembled, evidence of his own weakness. Unable to support both, Kaidan simply let himself collapse, Shepard sprawled at an angle atop him.

She remained still, gathering her bearings, his heavy breathing echoing in her ears. At last she managed to prop herself up. His left cheek was cut, but otherwise he looked unharmed. He stared at her for a long, intense moment, his expression softening ever so slightly, before he seemed to remember where he was. "Can you move?" she asked, pushing herself into an upright position. Lingering weakness forced her to lean against the wall for support.

"Yeah," he grunted. He sat up a little easier, leading her to believe that she had been in stasis longer. "What about you? How are you holding up?"

"Been better," she responded. "Groggy but I should be all right. Oh," she said, indicating his cheek. "Sorry about that."

Kaidan gave a careless shrug. "I've had it worse, too." The bitterness in his tone caught her attention. She realized with a start that she did not know what else had happened to him during her two year absence. But this wasn't the time or place to play getting to know you.

"Normandy, do you copy," she said briskly, touching the communicator in her ear. Static. She switched to the private channels each of her squad members were synced to. "Miranda? Jacob? Garrus- this is Shepard. Do you copy? Dammit," she swore irritably. "Communications must be blocked. We'll have to figure out where we are on our own."

Kaidan raked his gaze over their immediate surroundings. The light from the room beyond revealed a second table, a chair bolted to the floor, and another cot. One hand rubbed idly at his neck. "It'd be nice if we knew where 'here' was."

His reflex made her aware of her own discomfort, and she touched her neck. Her fingers grazed a swollen, tender spot, not unlike a bug bite, just below her jaw line. She remembered the colonists on Horizon, frozen in place, their faces echoing of the terror that struck just before they were paralyzed. Deciding it was best to be frank about what they may be facing now, she looked back at him. "Kaidan," she began, lowering her arm. "You saw what that thing stung us with, didn't you?"

He nodded, his eyes turning haunted. "I do. They got me on Horizon."

"What?" She did not know that. "Mordin had to create counter measures for us so we could even _investigate _the colony. How did you avoid being taken?"

One hand raked through his hair. "I don't know," he rasped. "All I remember is being frozen soon after one of those bugs got me. The colonists were running, panicking- I had told Lilith to get them to the shelter." He suddenly slammed his fist onto the ground. It was a display of emotion entirely new in her experience of him. He had always made it a point to restrain himself. _We've all changed, _she thought, watching his eyes flash. "They walked right by me- _right by me-_ and started picking up the bodies," he snarled. "Throwing them like, like _trash_ into their pods. The long rows of them, Shepard...lined up and waiting to be transported to the ship. By the time I came to everyone was gone." He shook his head, his gaze averted. "You have no idea how awful it was watching that and not being able to help."

"I do," she replied quietly, remembering the anger and helplessness at learning the Collectors had stolen the crew. "But what you saw on Horizon didn't even scratch the surface of their intentions for humanity. When we attacked their base we came across a chamber where they stored all the humans they had captured. Dr. Chakwas and Yeoman Chambers still have nightmares from their abduction."

"That's exactly what it was. The stuff of nightmares," he agreed with a nod. There was brief hesitation before he spoke again. "I...don't suppose you found any of the colonists."

Shepard's expression turned sorrowful. "No. I'm sorry, Kaidan."

He bowed his head. "I expected as much," he murmured, remorse heavy in his voice. Again he took in their surroundings, a slight frown on his face. "Looks to me that whoever captured us wants to pick up where the Collectors left off."

"Well, they're not," she stated firmly. When he glanced over she smiled, long and slow. She could almost hear Garrus say, _Uh oh. It's your getting-ready-to-kick-ass smile. Our enemies better run. _Slowly she pushed herself to her feet. At first she swayed, as ungainly as a drunkard. Kaidan was there beside her almost instantly, offering his hand. But determination had already cast aside the lingering effects of fatigue and weakness, and she walked away from him. "That's why we're going to break out of here and put a stop to it," she announced, glancing over her shoulder.

Kaidan appeared thoughtful. Half expecting him to dissuade her, Shepard went to speak again when he said, "I saw where they stashed our weapons and armor. There." He pointed to a series of storage lockers lined up on the wall nearby. "We'll have a better chance of making it out with those than relying on just my biotics and your hand-to-hand combat training."

Shepard nodded. "Let's go."

Once they had armed themselves the pair crept further into the lab. Kaidan's low comment of, "This is terrible," echoed her thoughts exactly. Seeing it from a distance was nothing compared to actually walking past the tables filled with body parts. Computer monitors she had not glimpsed before were propped upon each one, the screens detailing species, sex and age alongside images of rotating DNA helixes. Many of them, she noted, featured the phrase _'Unsuitable sample' _flashing in bold red. This same message appeared outside some tanks. As much as she sorrowed for the unfortunate victims of these experiments, the cold, precise nature of the lab concerned her more- especially if the Collectors were involved.

Soon they reached the exit. Shepard prepared to access the controls when she heard two voices echoing in the hall beyond. She signaled sharply to Kaidan, who took position on the left wall, his raised fist glowing with biotic power. She pressed herself against the right side, leaning in close to listen, her pistol hefted. Snippets of conversation floated to her, gradually increasing in decibel.

"...those things piss me off," one voice declared. The gruff tone revealed it to be batarian. "They come in reeking of who the hell knows what and leave their shit everywhere."

"At least they don't leave body parts in the mess anymore," the second- human- reasoned. "Nothing kills an appetite faster than disembodied hands on a table."

"Wish _we_ could kill them," the batarian grumbled. "I don't care how much money the doc's paying us. He's crazy as hell for doing all this. The way he stares me down scares the hell out of me."

The human laughed with wry amusement. "Don't fancy seeing your head on another body?"

An aggravated snort, followed by the thump of a body being shoved into the wall. It sent small vibrations through Shepard's shoulder. "Shut up," the batarian hissed. "You can joke because he's only interested in one human, and he's already got her. But the rest of us, we might as well be stuffed in tanks like those other poor bastards or the super soldiers he's making for the boss."

"You've seen them too?" the human said, all mirth gone from his voice. He sounded uneasy. "They're worse than the harvesters."

"All I know is that once this job's done I'm gone. I'd much rather go completely freelance than have something like that replace me."

"I'm with you. Heard the Suns are recruiting..."

Their voices died down. Kaidan exchanged glances with Shepard. "Building super soldiers for mercenary gangs? Doesn't sound like the Collectors."

"Those harvesters certainly fit the description, in intent if not in name," she replied, frowning. She hacked the door, releasing the lock. "Come on. We need to find out who's behind this." He acknowledged her and, once the door slid open, passed into the hall at her heels.

As soon as they set foot outside she knew they were aboard a ship. The corridor was brightly lit, the artificial light almost harsh compared to the semi-gloom of the lab. Most of the rooms they passed were sealed shut, though every single one of them stank of decay. The large crates standing outside the doorways did as well. Shepard tread very carefully, her gun at the ready. Kaidan matched her slow pace, taking a step every time she did until it seemed they were walking in unison.

A junction appeared at the end of the hall. The decision over which way to go was made for her, for the sound of a door opening to the left sent both scurrying for cover on the right. Shepard stayed low, peering round the crate she had hidden behind. Kaidan was right next to her, covering her back just as Garrus would. As four Eclipse mercs emerged from the doorway, a harvester for each one, she became even more aware of his absence. The lone harvester notwithstanding, it had been two years since she fought alongside Kaidan; they did not have the same rapport anymore. No matter. They'd just have to make the best of it. Didn't keep her from feeling the brief, sharp pang of missing him.

The corridor was narrow, and there wasn't much room to maneuver. At spotting a series of loose wiring running the length of the ceiling, she sent Kaidan a look. "Knock them back," she ordered. "I'll take care of the rest."

The mercs were conversing about their recent assignment, all much too busy to notice Kaidan springing to his feet until it was too late. He unleashed a blast of biotic power that slammed into all and shoved them against the wall. Shepard took aim and fired, tearing through the cables and sending them, spiraling, whipping, to the floor. Arcs of electricity danced through the air, capturing the group in wave after wave of lethal energy. The harvesters exploded like overripe melons, mismatched body parts going in all directions. The thick, wet sound each part made as it hit the floor was drowned out by the mercs' agonized screams.

Shepard darted from cover, shouting for Kaidan to follow. She was in the midst of turning away when she caught a flash of a yellow uniform, the glowing tech shields, and the end of a gun barrel. Her attempt to dodge came a split-second too late; her legs, still wobbly from the stasis field, gave way beneath her. She couldn't stop herself from falling any more than she could prevent what happened next.

As her knees hit the floor, sending a tremor through her body, a bullet ruptured her shoulder, tearing through shields, cloth, skin and bone, leaving nothing but searing pain in its wake. Shepard clenched her teeth as she fell back. Behind her, she heard Kaidan shout her name, and the rapid release of his assault rifle. Battling pain and disorientation, she had the presence of mind to lift her pistol and open fire. The merc's body shuddered as bullets from both guns tore through his shields. She waited until he had collapsed before dropping her head onto the floor. Unsurprisingly, her hand stayed firmly around the pistol.

She did not lay there long. A burst of adrenaline, spurned on by the blaring of alarms, sent her to her feet. Mechanized voices sounded from the far end of the corridor. It wasn't long before she saw that a small army of drones was headed their way. "Move out," she told Kaidan as she hastily applied medi-gel to her injury. It had hit the left shoulder, which concerned her little. She could still shoot. "There isn't enough room here to take them down."

The two sped down the opposite way, avoiding the scattered debris on the floor by dodging, jumping or outright shooting. Their frantic pace was brought to an abrupt halt the instant they came upon a large room, reputably a mess judging from the waste receptacles, food dispensers and tables present. Kaidan broke away from her to investigate the doorways. Shepard attempted to contact the Normandy again. She had just received a nice earful of static when Kaidan returned to her side.

"The alarm must have sealed the doors," he reported, a little breathless from their excursions.

Shepard responded by approaching the largest table and flipping it onto its side. "Then we need to bunker down here. I'm not going to let this bastard take me without a fight," she informed him.

"Who knows how many of those things that will come our way? Pinning us down might be the intention."

"I've considered that," she admitted, programming her guns with tungsten ammo. "Once we put a nice dent in their front line I plan on hacking as many of those bastards as I can. You keep up with the collateral damage," she said, indicating the furniture.

"And if that doesn't work?"

Shepard sent him a wry smile. "We give those mechs as much hell as they can handle. Who knows? We may even attract their boss' attention."

***

Garrus emerged from the transport car, his gaze immediately fixed on the Kowloon conveyer ship docked a short distance away. At first he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. It just _couldn't _be the same one. But the truth was staring him in the face. It was the _MSV Fedele, _reborn under the name _Eternity. _A brief flash of the last time he had seen Saleon came to mind: the salarian sprawled on the floor, green blood flowing from the head wound Garrus himself had given him. Before, he would not be questioning the finality of a bullet to the brain. Recent events had changed his entire outlook on such things. Unlike the case with Shepard, Saleon's return was a _bad_ thing.

The hangar hummed with activity as dock workers, engineers and mechanics went about their business. A pair of volus merchants were currently engaged in a passionate argument over the worth of their wares with a batarian Garrus recognized as Anto, one of Aria T'Loak's bodyguards. Cargo was stacked all around, labeled according to contents and ship of origin. The ones stamped with _Eternity'_s name only confirmed his worst fears: lab equipment, weapons, and wetware. Exactly like the ones discovered on the old _MSV Fedele. _Eclipse mercenaries flanked these packages, arms openly displayed. A batarian pointed his rifle at a dock worker who came too close to the crates. The man practically fell over himself in his attempt to avoid being shot. Garrus frowned. _Looks like the organ cloning business wasn't as lucrative as before if Eclipse has hired him to make more men, _he thought, raking his gaze over the ship once again. This, as well as any assumptions as to why Saleon wanted Shepard, did not bode well.

Choosing a vantage point hidden from view, Garrus observed the comings and goings, his mind feverishly planning the best route to take. Had he expected any risky tactical routes such as infiltration, he would be sorely disappointed. After the mercs finished securing the cargo the batarian suggested hitting up Afterlife for a few drinks. His companions eagerly agreed, shouldering weapons as they strolled away. Garrus watched them leave, stole another glance at the open cargo bay. He didn't have the time to ponder whether or not it was intentional. His need to get to Shepard fast outweighed all else.

Garrus darted from his hiding place, skimmed up the descended platform and entered the ship. Countless crates were arranged within, each stack guarded by a drone. He took them out with a few carefully placed shots, then hurried to the exit. As soon as he passed through the doorway his head jerked up at hearing the faint sound of an alarm. He smiled. Only one person could be responsible for this, and the small army of drones heading his way. The smile turned feral as he pulled the assault rifle from its place upon his back, ejecting the half empty clip. This was going to be a fun, if not interesting, rescue.


	5. Chapter 5

_All characters are owned by BioWare, Inc. _

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They kept coming, endlessly spawning around corners, doorways, sometimes even from midair. Shepard's actions were automatic. If there was movement, she fired. If she heard someone approaching, she fired. The mess and everything in it was lost in a haze of exploding mechs and bullets. Every now and then she glimpsed a wave of blue energy toss or slam into an enemy. Always she thought, _Good. Kaidan's still on his feet, _before concentrating on more enemies.

Broken drones littered the floor among the furniture. A wave of harvesters had arrived on the scene after the first dozen or so mechs were destroyed, but they proved to be simple targets. Most opted to run straight into the line of fire. Between Shepard's bullets and Kaidan's biotics, what had once been ten harvesters was nothing but garish stains on the floor. The stench of decaying bodies did not mesh well with the acrid smell of destroyed mechs.

Shepard ejected her spent clip and took aim. Bullets tore through an approaching drone, piercing torso, arm and leg. It staggered, its mechanical voice requesting assistance almost comical. Kaidan finished it off with a well-timed shot. He did not see the drone closing in on his left flank, but Shepard did. She responded by hacking it, turning the drone from enemy to ally. It immediately redirected its shots, opening fire on its brethren.

The distraction enabled Kaidan to abandon his cover to join Shepard. A thin film of sweat covered nearly his entire face. "They keep coming," he said with a shake of the head. "There's gotta be another way to push them back."

Her eyes quickly scanned their surroundings. Most of the furniture was gone, either blasted to pieces or reduced to nothing. _Hmm. Not much to work with..._

Bullets abruptly hammered the table, forcing Kaidan to press himself close to her. Crouched as they were, their heads bowed, their foreheads were inches from the other. Again she became aware of Garrus' absence. _I could really use his skills right about now, _she thought, her throat tightening. But there was something else that didn't feel right. Though her every thought and reaction was attuned to the fight, there was no fever heating her blood. No excitement. And certainly no post-victory celebrations.

_Garrus always did say battle was an aphrodisiac for me. Great time to realize he's _right.

Unable to keep from smiling at what the turian would say to _that, _she slid away from Kaidan to peek around the other side of the table. The reprogrammed mech dropped under a barrage of firepower. She frowned, preparing herself to hack another when she spotted an explosive canister leaning against the wall. How it had survived Kaidan's biotics trashing the mess was a mystery she didn't bother trying to solve. It was about to become their ticket out of here. "Kaidan!" she shouted. He crouched at her shoulder, a little ways from the table but still safely concealed. She met his gaze, saying, "I found our way out but we need to time it perfectly. See that canister?" she asked, indicating it with a finger. "I want you to position it so it's hovering over the entrance." She patted her gun. "I'll take care of the rest."

"All right. And Shepard," he added, preventing her from doing more than glancing away from him. A wan smile touched his lips. "Let's hope this works. I'm getting a little tired here."

She returned his smile. "I'll have Gardner whip you up a big meal when we get out of here. Promise." Surprise and delight shone in his dark eyes before he nodded and, after a long moment, shot to his feet. Shepard watched as he used his biotics to take hold of the canister and hurl it into the air. Some of the mechs actually glanced up to watch it pass overhead. One took aim, but Shepard shot it before it had the chance to. It detonated, ripping into the mechs and sending their parts scattering. At glancing the empty hall in the clearing smoke, she sprang to her feet. "That did it! Let's go!"

She took the lead, leaning over to snatch up fallen clips as she ran for the door. Getting past the broken mechs and harvesters clogging the entrance was solved by either kicking or shooting them aside. Smoke from the canister's explosion lingered in the air, thick as fog and reducing their visibility. Shepard kept her gun out, her finger tensing every so often on the trigger. There was no telling what sort of surprise was going to jump out at them.

Most of the doorways they passed remained sealed save one. She went through first, wincing a little at how bright the ceiling lights seemed. A long corridor, as cluttered as the last, stretched before them, an airlock at the very end. They had reached the midpoint when a pair of drones stepped from a side doorway. Shepard had her gun ready, Kaidan his, when both drones were suddenly blown apart by a powerful shot. "Who-?" he wondered, but Shepard, once recognizing the signature move, smiled wryly as a tall, familiar figure headed their way.

She left Kaidan to meet Garrus halfway, the elation she felt now similar to that first instant he removed his helmet in his hideout. His eyes lit up at seeing her, and he increased his pace until he stood a few feet away. For one brief instance it was just the two of them, appraising the other, relief mirroring relief. But then she arched a brow. "You took your time."

He gave a careless shrug. "It was one of the few chances I had to save Commander Shepard," he replied, as confident and unapologetic as ever. "I had to make my entrance look good."

Shepard snorted at his remark, then reached up to touch his shoulder. "All the same, it's good to see you." He smiled in response. The expression was eloquent enough.

By the time Kaidan joined them she was once again focused on the problem at hand. "Is that the way out?" she asked, indicating the hall behind Garrus.

"It might have been," he reported. "Except I had to fight my way through at least a dozen mechs and some Eclipse mercs."

"So, it's Eclipse that guy is working for," Kaidan said, frowning over at Shepard, who nodded.

"Oh, it gets worse," Garrus remarked with grim understatement. _It always does, _his eyes said to Shepard when he glanced at her. "The one responsible for creating the harvesters is on this ship. We have to find him and shut the operation down."

"Are you insane?" Kaidan cried, eyeing the turian in outright shock. "We've only just gotten out of one intense battle. We don't have the firepower to get into another."

Garrus ignored him. He kept his gaze locked with Shepard's. "There's more to this than just some crazy guy creating super soldiers for Eclipse. I know who this bastard is."

The bitter anger in his tone caught her attention. But she also knew Kaidan was right. Now that the fervor had left her, she began to feel the effects of battle fatigue. She went to speak when Garrus' gaze shifted past her, his eyes widening as he shouted, "Look out!" and shoved her aside. A bullet soared past, embedding itself into the wall. The far side of the corridor filled with human men, salarians and batarians in yellow armor. All were heavily armed.

Shepard, standing partially behind Garrus, looked to the airlock and bolted. Her worry about exposure was a non-issue; her faith in their ability to cover her was fathomless. Sure enough, both opened fired as they dropped back. Yet her attempt to bypass the door failed. Shepard swore, pulled her gun and turned round. Better to go down fighting than be shot in the back.

"I think that's enough, Commander," stated a voice over the comm system. It was the same as the one Shepard had heard when she first regained consciousness. Garrus reacted to it as well, his eyes flashing with anger as he murmured, "It's really him!"

The Eclipse mercs came to an abrupt halt some feet away, their guns still at the ready. Each one, no matter his race, was pale-skinned, their yellow eyes absent of pupils. All stood absolutely still, like automatons awaiting orders. Shepard's hand tightened on her pistol. "Who are you?" she demanded. Beside her, Garrus and Kaidan leveled their weapons on the mercs.

A tittering laugh. It sent an unexpected chill down Shepard's spine. "Surely you remember me_, _Shepard! I know your turian..._companion _is aware of my identity."

His inflection on the word brought a deep frown to Kaidan's features, and outrage to Garrus'. Shepard, having already determined that this person knew more about her aside from her name, said, very clearly, "I have trouble remembering disembodied voices. Show yourself."

A short pause ensued. Then, "As you wish," in a near-ecstatic tone. Doors whooshed open behind the line of mercs. The two standing in the middle stepped aside, creating a seam to allow the salarian passage. Shepard's eyes narrowed, Garrus drew a sharp intake of breath. Kaidan went to point his gun, only to lower it again, as if uncertain of what to make of this meeting. Especially since this particular salarian's head didn't match the rest of his body.

He stopped directly across from Shepard, his grayish, almost opaque eyes meeting hers. A slight smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. The other corner sagged, giving him the appearance of a stroke victim. A surgical scar arced across his brow and around his neck, the stitches as unsanitary as they were antiquated. Despite this, there was something very, very familiar about him.

When the truth dawned on her at last she responded not with surprise, but with a lifted brow. Everything about what she had seen, right down to the ship, pointed at none other. "Dr. Saleon," she stated. "I thought you were dead."

Saleon chuckled and clasped his hands. At this she couldn't help but be wary. The salarian she recalled may have been a fiendish bastard, but never did she take him for a madman. And mad he was, for he hopped from side to side, shoulders hunched, hands wringing together. "I certainly was. And so were you!" he trumpeted. "Interesting how fate works, isn't it?"

Garrus moved forward, pressing the end of his pistol squarely between Saleon's eyes. The mercs barely batted an eye. "The only thing I'm interested in is making sure you _stay _dead this time," he growled.

"Garrus!" Kaidan exclaimed. "Put the gun down! You don't know what this guy will do!"

Saleon smiled that half-smile of his. "Yes he does," he declared, biting his lower lip to keep the laugh from escaping. Suddenly he took a step back, hands thrown out in protest. "No, no, don't shoot!" he begged in a queer, high-pitched voice. He danced in place, a physical representation of the old Earth phrase 'ants in your pants'. He even went so far as to drop to his knees and grab at Garrus. The turian shook him off with an irritated growl. Saleon rolled onto his side, body curling into a fetal position, his arms wrapped around himself. Shepard and Kaidan both trained their weapons on him. The mercs remained still, more like statues than living beings.

Saleon's shoulders trembled as he laughed, softly at first but with growing intensity. "I'm sorry, Officer Vakarian," he managed between giggles. He eased into an upright position, hugging his knees like a child. His eyes were wide as a fascinated child's, too. "I no longer fear death by your hands, or anyone's for that matter," he added, tilting his head up at Shepard.

She took a step back, keeping a wary eye on the formerly dead scientist. "How did you survive our encounter?"

"You really want to know?" Saleon asked eagerly. Without waiting for a reply, he shot to his feet and approached her. She thrust her gun in his face. He didn't seem to notice, or care, that she threatened him. "I'd be _happy _to tell you," he said, reaching out to touch her face. She jerked out of his reach. As she did Garrus planted his pistol firmly against Saleon's temple. He glanced over at the turian, only to smile again. "You've become quite the specimen yourself, Officer. If only I could take you apart. Unfortunately," he sighed in disappointment, "I'm only interested in her."

The mercs came to attention then, rushing forward to slam into Kaidan and Garrus. Shepard had just whirled around, her gun at the ready when Saleon coiled his arm around her shoulders and drew her against him. She was in the midst of tossing the salarian over her shoulder when she felt him drive something against the side of her neck. It struck the same spot as the harvester had, sending first a shockwave of pain before all senses were paralyzed. Garrus, having seen this, threw the merc aside as he stepped forward, finger tensing on the trigger of his assault rifle. He was thrown off his feet by a biotic blast. Kaidan was equally dispatched with. Both were then grabbed and dragged to the airlock doors, which were opened by the batarian standing by the wall. Saleon, standing beside the merc, lifted his hand in enthusiastic farewell just as the doors were shut. A loud bang shook the entire ship when they were ejected.

Giving a triumphant whoop, Saleon turned to Shepard. His half smile became sinister as he rubbed his hands together. Harvesters fanned out from behind him, speaking her name in a disturbing chant. Hands reached out, mismatched eyes wide with fanatical reverence as they converged on her. "I wish I could say I was sorry about this, Commander," he said, reaching out to pat her shoulder. She wished she could shake him off. "But science has no room for empathy, not when immortality is within my grasp. Oh!" he gasped, suddenly shame-faced. "I've no time to ramble! There's work to be done. Darlings?"

A blow struck the side of her head, sending a flash of pain through her and distorting her vision. As she felt herself slipping away she thought, with some regret, _Should have told Garrus to shoot the crazy bastard..._

_***_

Garrus' mind, once focused on his target, was now rattled to such a degree that he couldn't recall exactly what just happened. His ears were ringing so loudly all he thought was how to be rid of the sensation. It wasn't the blissful, instant knockdown of that missile. The effects seemed to penetrate his very bones, reverberating all over his body in waves of pain.

Eventually the sounds ebbed, allowing others to filter in. The creak of moving machinery. Voices raised in panic. The roar of ship thrusters. He zeroed in on it all, using them as a guide to bring him back to reality. His eyes flew open, his mandibles flaring as he drew in a sharp breath. It hurt like hell to breathe. He reached into the air, clawing at the crate sitting pretty atop his chest.

"Hey! Over here!" someone called. Moments later the crate was pulled away, allowing Garrus to sit up. A human man and woman, medics judging from their attire, assisted him to his feet. No easy task, considering he was taller than both and wearing armor. The man placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, his request that Garrus stay still for scanning going unheard.

The floor was covered in ruptured crates, their contents scattered in every direction. Another pair of medics aided some shaken mechanics, dock hands, and anyone else unfortunate enough to be present for the accident. Among them was Kaidan, who sat on the floor watching a medic fuss over his right leg. Every now and then he shifted his gaze to the gaping, empty space behind him. Strange. Garrus had the distinct feeling something should be- _Shepard!_

"Wait, sir!" the woman protested as Garrus brushed her aside. He swiftly strode away, sweeping his gaze from one end of the hangar to the other. Dammit! Saleon had taken her off Omega.

"Where do you think you're going?"

At recognizing Miranda Garrus glanced over his shoulder. She strode calmly toward him, arms folded over her bosom. He stiffened and said, "She's gone. I'm not going to-"

"EDI began monitoring the _Eternity _the moment we learned of its connection to Eclipse." At his awestruck expression she proceeded to explain. "You can thank Mordin and the merc he found in the alley for that. I'm told Mordin had to wait until _after _the merc's nose was reset before he got anything intelligible from him. Picking up on the commander's tactics, I see," she remarked with a lifted brow.

"Did he happen to know where it's headed?" Garrus asked. He wasn't going to apologize for his conduct. Especially not to the woman who killed the Eclipse commando, Enyala, after watching her gun down her best friend, Niket.

"EDI is working on that now. Get yourself checked out and we'll head back to the _Normandy_."

Garrus waved off her advice. "Don't bother. I'm fine."

Miranda's expression was both exasperated and patient. "You were just jettisoned full force from an airlock. If the crates hadn't cushioned your fall you and Alenko would have been killed. I doubt Shepard would appreciate knowing I let you charge off into the unknown when you could be seriously injured."

Garrus was about to counter that he had survived much worse, but the idea of dying before he could see Shepard again restrained his tongue. Miranda, correctly interpreting his silence, gave him another smile and signaled a nearby medic. While he was being scanned she stepped aside, touching the communicator to her.

"Good news," she said once Garrus was given the all-clear and the medic moved on. "EDI has successfully tracked the _Eternity. _It's en route to Lorek in the Fathar System." She shook her head. "I can't say this Dr. Saleon is difficult to find, especially when he uses old Eclipse bases."

"He probably doesn't know we've been there before." Garrus paused. "Wait. You know Dr. Saleon is on board?"

"Mordin was _very_ thorough with his questions," she replied. "The only thing the merc didn't know was where Saleon came from."

"I can tell you," Garrus said bitterly. By the time he finished the grisly tale Miranda's expression hardened. He nodded, glad she understood. "So now you know why I need to get to Shepard fast."

"Of course I do. But you can't do this alone," she insisted, inserting herself in his path when he tried to walk away.

Garrus could feel his patience beginning to break. "Okay, fine. Come with me. Either way, we're wasting time."

"Yes, we are," said another voice. Kaidan joined them, favoring his right leg a little. Despite the minor cuts and bruises on his face, his expression spoke of determination.

"You can't go, not on that leg," the turian observed, eyeing Kaidan's bandage skeptically.

Kaidan refused to be discouraged. "It'll slow my movements but not my biotics," he countered firmly. "To get there we need a ship, and I've got one."

"He's right," Miranda said just as Garrus prepared to speak. "Saleon has to know he didn't kill you. He will expect the _Normandy _or its shuttle. You'll have a better shot at catching them in his vessel."

Garrus wanted to decline- he and Kaidan had been skirting a very narrow line ever since the latter threatened to turn him in. Things had only gotten more awkward once he met up with Shepard. Garrus was not as intuitive as Kelly but he knew that Kaidan still had feelings for her- possibly even resented Garrus for his new place in Shepard's life. Yet the logic behind Miranda's argument was enough to convince him. He only hoped Kaidan could put aside his personal opinions so as to not let it interfere with the mission.

"It's settled," she stated decisively. "You two go after Shepard. I'll have EDI establish a link between your ships so she can send the coordinates. Radio us the moment you find her."

"Understood," Garrus acknowledged. Kaidan, having expressed surprise at Miranda's suggestion, nodded his agreement. Satisfied, she smiled and took her leave, vanishing through the doorway just as more medics arrived.

Alone now, it seemed the two had difficulty finding words. Kaidan broke the tension first by telling Garrus to get whatever equipment he needed and meet him at his ship. Garrus watched him limp away. If he was dubious about their partnership before, he was even more so now after hearing that brusque suggestion. Annoyed at first, a sudden thought sent an unexpected pang of guilt through him. He wasn't the only one worried about Shepard.

Purpose mixed with the need for haste and a steadily growing concern drove him forward. With each step his resolve strengthened. He knew that when he took out Saleon this time, he'd make sure the bullet finished the job.


	6. Chapter 6

_All characters are owned by BioWare, Inc. _

Garrus did not return to the second docking bay straight away. Though they both knew that time was of the essence, Kaidan was grateful for it. After these frantic last hours, he needed to think. Gather his composure.

He bent over the sink and splashed cold water onto his face again. It was intended to help wake him up, to shake off the effects of stasis and battle. But as he lifted his gaze to the mirror, seeing the drawn brows, lips set into a frown and smoldering eyes, he knew its true purpose was to keep his emotions in check. He was angry about that crazed salarian kidnapping Shepard, at himself for his inability to prevent it, and Garrus for _letting _it happen. Yet he knew feeling this way was absolutely pointless. He had been a soldier long enough to recognize that none of them could have anticipated this would happen. All that mattered now was getting her back. Didn't make him feel any better, though.

After patting his face dry he left the small bathroom and headed for the food dispenser, still limping a little on his injured leg. The medi-gel had taken care of the pain but not the stiffness. He would just have to work through it.

_Just like you have to realize that things really _have _changed. _

Kaidan retrieved an energy drink, popped it open and downed it in a few gulps. He hadn't been entirely honest with Shepard. While he firmly believed her overall cause would be better served by returning to Alliance space as a confirmed hero, the truth was that he wanted to start over. Ever since Horizon, she had been in his thoughts constantly- so much in fact that he took it upon himself to monitor her progress from afar. It allowed him to learn of her success against the Collectors before it became public. He remembered feeling proud, elated, thankful. Shepard had proven once again she was humanity's sole hope of surviving the coming storm. But when the joy ebbed, and shame replaced it, Kaidan realized his error. He never should have turned his back on her.

With a frown, he tossed the first can and took another. Lamenting the past was futile. He was adult enough to acknowledge the repercussions of his actions. Yes, he had experienced a surge of jealousy at seeing Shepard and Garrus together, but even he could see the chemistry between them. In some strange way, he was glad that it was Garrus she turned to. Despite his opinion regarding his actions on Omega, it was obvious Kaidan could still trust Garrus. Her safety would come first in the mission.

He had just disposed of the second can when his terminal lit up. It was a message, no doubt from Anderson wondering where the hell he was. Though they had worked closely these past few months, he had not told his former captain of his intentions. Anderson had enough to worry about, especially under Udina's regime. Kaidan deactivated the terminal, both for discretion and the fact he could not properly word what exactly they were facing here. While he did not know how the salarian had survived, he could surmise how he had obtained Collector tech. He recalled the morbid laboratory with a shudder. The implications were anything but pleasant.

An overhead light shone red, indicating an intruder had neared the ship. Kaidan winced slightly as he limped for the access panel on the wall. After entering in the coded sequence that activated the ship's comm link, he heard Garrus announce himself. He spoke briskly, an edge of impatience in his tone. Kaidan could very well sympathize. He didn't like the idea of Shepard in Saleon's clutches anymore than the turian did.

The airlock doors opened, admitting Garrus. He was loaded down with enough firepower to take out a small army. "Thought you'd appreciate better weapons," he said wryly, removing an assault rifle from his back and tossing it Kaidan's way. He caught it easily, inspecting the weapon with an approving eye. This was much better than the Alliance fare he had in storage.

After strapping it to his back he glanced over at Garrus, the words he was about to say going right out of his head. Standing there beneath the ceiling lights, his head angled down as he checked the sniper rifle in hand, Kaidan saw for the first time that Garrus' collar was damaged, and most of the right side of his face was concealed beneath a white bandage. The scarring along his cheek, mandible and beneath his eye still looked to be healing. "What the hell happened to you?"

"So you noticed it, huh?" Garrus responded, sounding more amused than insulted. He shouldered the sniper rifle and turned. "It was supposed to be the Blue Suns' way of getting rid of me. Probably would have worked if not for Shepard. She saved my life that day, and I intend on returning the favor. So," he said, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. "You want to keep talking about this or do you want to go?"

Impatience had entered his tone, slight but still conveying exactly how he felt. Kaidan nodded curtly and took the pilot's seat while Garrus went to store the weapons. His return occurred at the same instant Joker contacted them. "I'm sending the coordinates now," he informed them. "EDI, you got a read on them?"

"Yes," answered a synthetic, feminine voice devoid of emotional inflection. Kaidan was not entirely comfortable with the idea of an AI tapping into his ship, but he recognized the benefits. _It's not unlike what Shepard said about using Cerberus' resources..._

"I am sending all data I have compiled about the _Eternity,_" EDI continued. Schematics, a holographic model of the ship and other information appeared above the console. Kaidan studied it, particularly the exits.

"Look at the registry," Garrus grumbled. "Didn't even bother altering it. The arrogant bastard," he added in a low growl.

Sure enough, it was listed as owned by a Dr. R. Heart. But something else concerned Kaidan. "Look here," he pointed out, indicating the model. "It's got some pretty nasty weapons equipped."

"Probably installed by Eclipse. They wouldn't want such a _valuable _resource lost to them."

Kaidan shared Garrus' bitterness. "It's already got enough of a headstart on us," he remarked, his hands flying across the console. "Coordinates are locked in. Time to go."

"Good luck," Joker said and signed off.

As Kaidan disengaged the docking clamps Garrus strode away, a data pad in hand. "Where are you going?"

"If we want any chance against that ship the guns need to be upgraded. What you have right now won't even dent their shields," he explained over his shoulder.

"Here," Kaidan said, keying in the codes that he'd normally grant Alliance certified weapons tech experts. The door to Garrus' right slid open. "They're through there. Do whatever you can." At seeing Garrus' somewhat curious look Kaidan gave a disbelieving laugh. "Did you think I'd say no? I want her back, too."

At this the turian's expression smoothed- at least, Kaidan thought so. He'd never been very good at reading their species. "Then you also won't object to either of us using whatever means necessary to succeed." With that he departed, leaving Kaidan no chance to reply.

* * *

She had no knowledge of where she was. Her thoughts were incoherent, jumbled, just like her memory. One moment she was on the bridge of the original _Normandy _giving a motivational speech. The next, chasing down Saren- no, Benezia, the rachni, geth, Sovereign- all the way to Peak 15/Virmire/Feros/Ilos. She had just reached the hot labs/cloning facility/colony/the archives when-

A powerful jolt threw her out of bed. Dazed, half crawling on the floor, she went straight for her gun. The _Normandy _was under fire. No time. Have to release the beacon. Get everyone out.

She bolted from her quarters in full gear. Fire. Screams. Panic. Liara passed her in the corridor, assisting the wounded from the med bay. Her words were muted by another explosion. Shepard gestured sharply to the escape pods. _Hurry, get everyone out!_

Another explosion rocked the ship. She staggered as she passed the elevator. The doors opened then, Tali, Wrex and Garrus emerging. Voices lost in the chaos. Yet time seemed to slow when she grabbed Garrus' shoulder as he slipped past. _Get to an escape pod! Don't wait up!_

Running, stumbling, for the beacon. The ship moved so much she could barely keep her balance. There- released. Kaidan's voice calling her name rose above the noise. What was he doing still on board? _Get the hell out of here! _Have to save Joker. Have to-

So cold. Hurts to breathe...tightness in chest. Limbs losing mobility, vision spotting. Getting so dark...

Bright lights, distorted voices, a woman she'd never seen before. _Had _seen before.

_Miranda? _

_What's going on?_

Suddenly all thought and memory splintered as a sharp, tearing sensation assailed her mind. Shepard wanted to fight back, but found herself unable to move, even scream. So she endured it in agonized silence. _No, can't stand it. Feeling so damned weak..._

"Not too much now," a voice said, the tone reminiscent of a parent admonishing a child. "She has to survive long enough for my plans."

Fighting against the current of darkness rising up to take her, Shepard was in the midst of crossing the threshold of awareness- of recognition- when something more powerful than even her will dragged her back. She had a fleeting image of a sinister smile before awareness deserted her.

* * *

Saleon was tittering with glee as he cradled the skin sample taken from the commander. It rested within a small dish, a pale sliver of flesh only a few inches long. What it represented made him ecstatic. He wanted to pick it up and drag it across his face. Savor the feel. Saleon nearly gave in to the urge when the silver band on his wrist gave three demanding beeps. The doctor, long familiar with what the sound meant, laid the sample aside. This body's usefulness had reached its end. Time for another.

Saleon lifted his gaze, taking in the sight of Shepard floating within the tank. He gave a short, high-pitched chuckle. "Be right back," he said, tapping the glass with a trembling finger. Laughing, he turned and headed for the operating table set before a series of tanks lining the far wall. Each one lit up as he neared, showcasing the decapitated salarian bodies he had collected. A security drone he had reprogrammed approached the middle tank, entering codes to release the lock. Saleon arranged himself on the table, wriggling in place to get more comfortable and gently placing his hands on his knees. The door across the way opened, the long shadow heralding the arrival of the very first of his darlings.

Soon it came to stand at the end of the table, watching Saleon with unblinking eyes as it fingered the long, serrated knife in hand. Saleon spread his arms, grinned and closed his eyes just as the drone injected him with a sedative. He could picture what would happen next. His darling approaching him, slowly lifting the knife. Turning it just so, allowing the light to reflect upon the blade, before the final stroke...

* * *

There was nothing gentle about Shepard's awakening this time. Her consciousness, sped along by a sharp pain originating somewhere in the back of her head, broke through the darkness with the impact of a gut punch, leaving her gasping and dazed.

The world had a blurred quality, and she blinked to clear it. When it didn't she realized she was looking through glass. No, a tank filled with water. The fact she could breathe no doubt was linked to the various tubes attached all over her body. _Naked body_, she amended as she lowered her gaze. The cool, tight feel of medi-gel along the inside of her left thigh drew her attention next. The flesh beneath the transparent coating looked raw.

Several shadows fell over the tank. When Shepard lifted her gaze she found herself staring at five harvesters. All stood clustered together, mismatched eyes locked on her. Seeing them this close disgusted her, even as she pitied them. To think, each had been normal once. It was just one more reason why she had to take Saleon out. How would present itself in time. She had to wait.

The harvesters turned as one at some unheard command. Shepard watched a taller, stronger-looking one enter the room. A moment was all it took for her to realize it was the same she had encountered in Omega.

It wore its hood down, allowing her to get a good look at its face. The right side of was human, while the left was covered in the leathery hide of a Collector. One eye was milky white, the other bright yellow. Its human skin was drawn taut, revealing pulsing veins on its bald head, neck and the top of its chest not covered by the robe. _So. Saleon _is _working with them, _she thought angrily. The ramifications of this was something she never thought she had to worry about again.

The harvester moved much more fluidly than the others, though it still appeared to be shuffling. When it lifted a hand she glimpsed the seeker embedded within its palm. Positioned upside down, its curled legs poking through the skin, it brought on images of insects trapped within amber deposits. She recalled the feel of that hand on her- alien, cold- and suppressed a shudder.

It moved toward a table covered with a blanket. Gripping the edge with both hands, the harvester yanked it free, the material snapping open from the violent movement. Severed body parts lay upon the table, as varied as the ones she had seen before. The others descended upon this morbid fare with the excitement of children. She watched, her upper lip curling in disgust, as each one began chopping, cutting or outright ripping parts off and tossing them onto the floor. New ones were snatched up and jammed onto bloody stumps with incredible force. A drone appeared, cauterizing wounds with a laser tool. Afterward those that were rejected were gathered and thrown into a large, unmarked vat. Tubes extending from its sides jerked as thick, orange liquid passed through. These emptied into tanks propped against the same wall she was. A hum of machinery, a low, keening groan, and the ooze began to bubble.

"Fascinating, I know," remarked a voice Shepard instantly recognized. Saleon came into her line of sight, his arms folded as he surveyed her. The stitches at brow and neck appeared recent. Green blood had dried along the incisions. "Oh, this," he said nonchalantly, touching the scar with the same regard a woman would treat an expensive necklace. "A necessary evil. Salarian bodies age rapidly no matter how much I try to improve them."

Shepard frowned. This Saleon was vastly different from the cackling madman who had captured her. There was perfect clarity in his eyes, and he no longer gestured nervously. He smiled using his whole mouth. "Come, come," he encouraged. "You can speak. I wouldn't risk drowning you, Commander. You are too important."

Fighting against the instinct that rose up, she opened her mouth and said, "Why is that?"

Saleon chuckled. "You see, I knew you'd ask me that rather than the obvious. You are a very direct human, Shepard. You don't question anything other than what's staring you in the face. There's always time for answers after the fact, am I right?" He shook his head. The movement caused fresh blood to flow from between the stitches. "I suggest you look at all facts from now on," he chided.

"Thanks for the advice," she retorted. "I suggest-"

"Don't bother," he advised, lifting his hand as he turned away from her. He strolled past the line of tanks. "You are in no position to bargain with me. All you can do right now is listen. So I shall begin my tale with the obvious. I think it leads up to your role in all this-" he gestured to the lab with outspread arms, "-very nicely."

Great. Another theatrical personality. She'd had enough of that with Saren and Harbinger. But he was right: all she _could _do now was hear him out. "I'm listening."

Saleon glanced over at her. He stood just beyond a narrow column of light shining from overhead. It cast half his face in shadow, making him appear all the more sinister. "Excellent," he murmured before returning his gaze to the tank. The orange liquid continued to churn. "Officer Vakarian did indeed kill me," he began, speaking Garrus' name with a curious mixture of respect and dislike. "Contrary to popular belief, I saw no light. There was just...nothing. A void, not unlike the vastness of space. I likened my own demise to that of a star's last moments."

Theatrical _and _long-winded. Shepard had to wonder if the persona of a mad scientist was the same for all species. She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Saleon spent a few more moments watching the liquid move, then turned to face her. His eyes widened very slightly. "The first thing I remember is waking up on an operating table. I screamed." He cocked his head at her. "Did you scream at your own resurrection, Shepard?"

She frowned at the question. Her death was not something she liked to dwell on; she'd done enough of _that _for the first few weeks of the mission. Even remembering Kaidan hadn't helped chase the nightmares away. It wasn't until after Garrus had joined the team that they stopped. So focused on the mission, she hadn't realized it. Thinking back now, she wondered if she'd thanked him.

At her refusal to speak he gave a careless shrug. His attention once again drifted to the tank. "My assistant told me what happened, how he and his colleague came aboard the _Fedele _and found me. They were able to save my brain by removing the bullet from Officer Vakarian's gun, but my body was finished. My other assistant offered his for my use. Soon after the Collectors contacted me."

At this Shepard narrowed her eyes. "You made a deal with them."

"Naturally," he responded, looking at her as if he thought her believing the alternative was foolish. "My assistants saved my life but their efforts were crude at best. Keeping a whole body alive is different from a single organ. I was able to stave off the inevitable by reproducing vital organs. It worked, for the most part," he continued, leaning closer to the flashing screen on the tank, chin in hand. He made adjustments, murmuring to himself. Beyond him, more harvesters had started sorting through the new body parts under the supervision of the largest one. Every now and then it looked at Shepard, something resembling a smile touching its half-human mouth.

Saleon stood erect, placing his hands behind his back. "The Collectors wanted me to isolate certain genetic traits of all species in exchange for some of their technology. I'd receive the rest when I completed my task. However, their needs presented a very difficult problem due to my rapid deterioration." A note of excitement colored his voice now, and he smiled broadly at her. "And so, I used what technology they had given me to create my darlings," he explained, indicating his harvesters with a sweeping gesture.

She spared them a glance before looking at Saleon again. "So, that's why you made the harvesters. To do your dirty work."

"Harvester? _Harvester?" _Saleon repeated, aghast. He dismissed her words with an angry gesture. "An unfit moniker for what they represent," he spat. "My darlings are paving the way for true enlightenment. They would be better described as luminaries. Especially him," he added, smiling at the largest harvester.

Shepard seriously doubted that. "Why?"

The anger faded from his eyes, transforming into delight. He did not answer right away, so intent on watching the harvester approach a tank filled with orange ooze that it seemed the rest of the galaxy had faded away. It shed its robe, tossing it onto a nearby table. Light shone upon the Collector half as it climbed inside, gliding at a downward angle along its body when it turned. She glimpsed the wing on its left side twitch nervously. Her hands balled into fists. Seeing this abomination made what Saleon had been up to all the more disturbing, especially when she imagined what he had in store for her.

Sealed within, the Collector-harvester closed its eyes. The next instant the ooze began creeping over its body, sliding up its legs in an almost caressing manner. It seeped into its skin, pulsating like veins. "They had given me one of their own. I cannot tell you what a wonderful experience it was cutting it apart to discover its secrets," he began, stepping forward and angling his head up. "I had wanted my first to be salarian. A son, if you will. Unfortunately, the technology found no favor with salarian biology, or any other species' for that matter. But when I combined it with a human, and beheld the beauty of my creation, I relented. He is _perfect,_" he cooed, placing both hands on the glass. "Every time he absorbs genetic material he grows stronger, faster, smarter. He cannot be killed."

That explained its ability to survive their first encounter. It also made the Collector-harvester much deadlier than Saleon. "Did you complete your part of the bargain?" she asked. _If this bastard had anything to do with their experiments on humans he's going to pay._

"I planned on delivering the findings discovered in the birth of my first-born, and in the others I created. The Collectors never met me at our rendezvous. Later I learned why," he replied, removing his hand from the tank. When he turned Shepard saw his eyes sparked with anger. "They had promised me the secret to immortality, and you took it away from me!" he accused, thrusting his finger at her. Though he visibly trembled, still he managed a raspy laugh. "That's when I decided to take matters into my own hands. I knew of their interest in you. You were the perfect specimen in their eyes. I have to admit sharing that sentiment, though it's for completely different reasons. Oh, yes," he added, grinning and raking her with his gaze. The strange glow in his eyes made her acutely aware of her nudity. She didn't wish for clothing, just her gun. "To think, the secret is not lost to me."

Now he was starting to confuse her. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Saleon held up a finger, smiling as he indicated silence. He then approached a table set with various kinds of lab equipment. A sample case rested between the monitors. Inside was a dismembered Collector arm, the surface of the skin peeled away or cut in spots. Saleon took up a pair of gloves, pulling them on with dramatic flair before grasping a surgical knife. He opened the case and, knife poised, began slicing at the flesh. It gave way with a sickening, crunching sound. "Working for Eclipse gave me the funds I needed. You have already seen the result of that research. It's a shame they will eventually expire," he remarked with a chuckle. "I do not fear any counter strikes they may attempt. Very soon, I will be invinci- _urgh!_"

He suddenly doubled over, losing his grip on the knife. It clattered to the table with a sharp metallic clang. For some time Saleon hunched over, shoulders trembling, head bowed. When he spoke his voice was ragged. "I must do this now," he murmured. With an effort, he took up the knife and resumed his work. "I am only lucid for so long after each transplant. It becomes increasingly more...difficult to think," he explained, taking the section of Collector skin and placing it within a dish. The knife flashed once again, there was a pained grunt, and Shepard saw him add his blood to the mixture, as well as something else she couldn't identify.

Saleon bent over the table, hands resting on its surface. Shepard strained to see what he was doing. The Collector-harvester, she noticed, was also watching them. Suddenly Saleon let out a rapturous laugh. "It's working! It's _working!_" he exclaimed. Snatching the dish up, he whirled round and approached Shepard's tank. She stared in morbid fascination at the mass of flesh within. It writhed like a thing alive. "Do you see this?" he asked excitedly. There was a note of hysteria in his voice, and his eyes, once clear, now appeared glazed. Unfocused. "It's immortality, Commander Shepard. And you know what else?"

She eyed him warily, again wishing with all her might that she had her gun. He leaned in close, lifting one hand to cover the side of his face. His eyes slid left to right, as if searching for potential eavesdroppers. "You are going to help me cheat death yet again. Yes!" he crowed, heading back for the table. "The Collectors had sought your body for over two years, but I, Saleon, succeeded where they failed!"

Saleon's demented, choking laughter echoing in her ears, Shepard glanced down at the wound on her thigh, and at last understood. He was going to take her apart, piece by piece, use her genetic material to create a hybrid Collector/human/salarian body for himself. A myriad of emotions took hold of her at this, wildly ranging from outrage to renewed determination to escape. But, as the still-chuckling Saleon was escorted out of the lab by his 'darling', and she realized the silver instruments inside the tank with her were in fact edged with knives, a tremor of true fear coursed through her. It only intensified once the knives grazed her skin. She stiffened, preparing herself for what was to come.

Somewhere, in the part of her mind that hadn't given in to fear, her survival instinct stirred. _It's not going to end like this, _she vowed to herself, glaring at the doorway Saleon had vanished in. The knives sank into both legs, the first cut causing her to twitch uncomfortably. She didn't start screaming until the knives started dragging across her skin, slowly, so slowly.


	7. Chapter 7

_All characters are owned by BioWare._

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* * *

  
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When Garrus first set to work on the guns he expected it to be a smooth process. He did not expect the need to practically dismantle the main console in order to install the new components.

As he wrestled with parts that probably hadn't come free since the ship was built, Garrus was reminded of his early days at C-Sec. Like most turians, he knew his way around pretty much any weapon. The fact he hadn't encountered an upgrade that could defeat him had him on call for nearly every officer in his regiment. At the time, he liked he was being kept busy, even believed that everyone made requests because they recognized his value. Hindsight revealed that it was nothing more than pure laziness on behalf of his peers. Still, the experience taught him a thing or two about different kinds of weapons; his stint on Omega had only increased his knowledge. This he had put to damn good use on the new _Normandy. _Watching it tear through the Collector ship had been nothing short of satisfying.

Recalling the Thanix cannon's success brought forth another memory. Shepard, having stopped by to see it, had given him a tiny smile and remarked, "You never do anything small, do you?"

"Not if I can help it," he had replied, making her laugh. He had felt quite pleased in hearing it. She hadn't been doing it much...

The contented feeling of reminiscence gradually turned into unwavering resolve. Damn Saleon.

He had just finished with the upgrade when Kaidan contacted him. "You better come up here," he said. Garrus could hear the concern in his otherwise quiet tone. "I've got something you should see."

Giving the console one last adjustment, he took up the data pad and departed the room. When he reached the front of the ship he saw Kaidan hadn't moved from the pilot's seat. He spared Garrus a glance as soon as neared. "After we went through the relay I scanned the base to what they might have in store for us," he explained, hands sweeping in graceful arcs across the console. He indicated the main screen with a jerk of the chin. "Take a look."

Garrus watched the expanse of space transform into a familiar setting. Everything looked as he remembered, though the single large crate and Eclipse mercs were a new addition to the landscape. There were fifteen all together: ten humans, one of whom was female, four salarians, and a single asari. One of the humans, a grizzled, scarred veteran along the same build as Zaeed, accept a data pad one of the salarians handed off. After inspecting it he nodded to the other, who approached the crate. "Looks like their new boss," Garrus observed in a deep rumble. "Did Saleon show up yet?"

"His ship is en route, ETA about forty-five minutes," Kaidan responded. "Eclipse must be waiting on the delivery of those super soldiers we saw."

"Damn," Garrus grunted. "That's going to be a problem." The salarian chose that moment to open the crate, stepping back as two heavy mechs stomped out. He greeted this new development with a drawling remark of, "Great. We have _bigger _problems now."

"Worse," Kaidan said, leaning back in his chair, his arms folded. The expression he wore was hard as stone. "They know we're coming."

Garrus, remembering Miranda's cautionary words, nodded. "True, but they can't count Shepard out either, no matter what state she's in." _The only one she damn well better _be _in is alive, _he thought, clenching his fists. Sensing Kaidan's eyes on him, no doubt because of the dangerous edge in his voice, he took hold of his volatile emotions and resumed. "You and I both know the kind of havoc she can create," he pointed out. Then, with emphasis: "People...usually don't walk away."

The smile that touched Kaidan's lips was small, somewhere between admiring and understanding. "Can't argue with the truth. Hmm," he murmured, his hand straying to his chin. It was a mirror image of the pose Mordin assumed whenever he was in deep contemplation. Unlike the salarian, Garrus expected to hear this revelation when one actually favored pausing between words. "You know something? I think we can use that." Kaidan turned round in the chair. "Did you happen to bring any charges?"

At this Garrus laughed darkly. "As a matter of fact, I did," he admitted. He gestured to the image on the screen. "Explosions have this way of taking care of any collateral damage. Ah," he said, catching on to what Kaidan was getting at. "You plan on creating a diversion?"

"I do. Better to catch them all off guard. It'll keep things in our favor even if things go awry."

Garrus again looked to the screen. Eagerness began coursing through his body, feeding into an already tense need to see battle and driving him to start pacing. "It's exactly what Shepard would do. I like it," he declared. "Let's give them hell."

* * *

Their ship hovering in the upper atmosphere of a nearby planet, Garrus and Kaidan watched in silence as _Eternity _arrived. It established an orbit above Lorek, its bay doors opening some time later to allow a shuttle to emerge. It descended into the planet's atmosphere swiftly, its rear thrusters all that was visible before passing through cloud cover.

"Scans confirm it," Kaidan reported in hushed tones. "She's on board. Still alive, thank God."

Garrus did not realize he had been holding his breath until he exhaled. He, too, gave silent thanks. "We should come in behind their sensors. Don't want to risk getting shot down before we can make our big entrance."

"Agreed. Hold on."

The ship shuddered as Kaidan propelled it forward, veering down and away from the _Eternity _toward Lorek. Garrus selected a prime landing zone a short distance from the base, programming it into navigation before rising from his chair. Kaidan activated the autopilot and also stood. They armed themselves in silence, the turian seeing his own determination mirrored in Kaidan's face. At feeling Garrus' eyes on him he looked up; when Garrus nodded so did Kaidan. Time to get to work.

The ship's trembling ceased once it passed through the atmosphere, planing this way and that until it leveled itself out. It hit ground with a noisy thud, Garrus able to hear the rush of wind generated from its landing. Kaidan, who knelt on the floor rummaging through one of the cases Garrus had taken aboard, removed each charge individually. "We'll set them around the perimeter," he explained, taking five of the ten piled by his knee and handing them off. Garrus stowed them in one of the spare ammo packs he wore. "If we're lucky," Kaidan continued, wincing a little as he rose to his feet and slung the bag over his shoulder, "we'll blow enough holes in the place and make them think they're being bombarded. If not- well," he lifted a brow and smiled at Garrus. "At least we have enough firepower this time around."

He laughed slightly. "We may even pick up some more. If it's one thing I've learned from Eclipse, it's they _love _guns. Big ones, usually." Kaidan, who had just opened the airlock, sent him a half-smile.

Once they had synced their communications channel the pair exited the ship. Garrus looked to the south, identifying the base in the distance. "I'll see what I can do about those mechs, then I'll set charges on the south side of the building."

"I'll come in from the north side," Kaidan told him. "Make sure to activate those that won't affect the building's integrity. We can't risk blowing the place up with Shepard still inside."

Garrus, at first insulted that Kaidan would think he'd place so little value on Shepard's safety, quickly understood the point the other was making. "It'll be better to save the _really _big explosions for when we're leaving. By the way," he went on, his voice hardening. "I'm not leaving this place until I see Saleon dead. I'm not going to risk running into him again."

Kaidan frowned at him. "The charges should do the trick, like you said. But as for endangering us all for that kind of satisfaction, you might want to clear that with Shepard first. I doubt she'll want to stick around."

"She'll understand my reasons," Garrus replied confidently. He remembered her ready willingness to let him handle Harkin and Sidonis as he wanted. She even admitted later on that she rather enjoyed watching him do it. At first shocked by this revelation, Garrus soon learned to appreciate it. Battle was an aphrodisiac for the both of them. Doing his best to ignore how the memory of what happened right after their return from the Collector base affected him, he addressed Kaidan again. "Don't worry. It won't take long."

"If things work out how we want them to, time will be something we won't have much of." Kaidan gave him a short nod. "Be careful, Garrus, and good luck. The mercs are waiting for Saleon on the south side."

Garrus smiled and said, "You, too. I might not be able to carry you out of here as easily as Shepard did at Virmire." He waited until remembrance brought a slight, self-conscious wince to Kaidan's features, followed by a lopsided grin, before the turian sprinted away. Once he neared the base he spotted the group of mercs clustered around the shuttle. His hand sought the sniper rifle on his back. _Here we go..._

* * *

Robbins nervously shifted in place. He didn't like it, not one bit. There was something...off about this particular base. Maybe it was because he knew what befell the contingent stationed here a few months ago. Or maybe it was that he and the rest of his squad were tapped to play escort to that crazed salarian's super soldiers. It was a duty Robbins did not particularly want to do, but he'd seen others get shot for far less. So he played it smart and kept his mouth shut.

According to what the boss said, the new men would help put Eclipse back on top. Competition among the three gangs was higher than ever thanks to Archangel's meddling; every day Robbins heard of Blood Pack or Blue Suns members moving in on predominantly Eclipse-controlled territory. They have had to cede their claim due to limited numbers – another fault of Archangel's- each time. "No more," the boss had proclaimed on their way to Lorek. "Now we have the power to take it back."

Robbins rubbed the back of his neck to relieve the persistent feeling of someone watching him. The one who'd give Eclipse that power was running late. Everyone was restless and silent, toying with weapons or walking the perimeter. The pair of heavy mechs stood immobile to either side like sentries. Robbins remained rooted to the spot, knowing that if he started moving he'd probably give in to the want to return to the ship. This feeling increased with every passing moment.

His eyes shifted from the horizon back to the boss. He knew Brock wasn't a patient man. Looking at the grizzled old veteran, as scarred as a moon and solid as a rock, Robbins was certain he'd give any krogan a run for his creds. Not even a krogan would cross him, especially given the look in his eyes. Brock leaned against the wall of the crate the mechs had been stowed in, his meaty arms folded over his barrel chest. A lit cigarette hung from between his index and middle finger, but Robbins hadn't seen the boss take a drag on it for some time; ash weighed down the end, as if it had been smoking itself. After ten, uneasy minutes passed something came alive in Brock's eyes. As he leaned away from the crate and beckoned the men closer, Robbins saw their salarian ally had arrived at last.

Dr. Saleon walked ahead of those weird creatures of his everyone had dubbed harvesters. To Robbins, they were more like space zombies, ambling along with leaden steps and moaning in deep, guttural voices. Seeing them never failed to send a chill down his spine. Gripping the assault rifle in hand as if it were a shield against those abominations, he took his place to Brock's far left. Beside him, the only woman of the squad whispered, "Damn but that guy gives me the creeps."

The creeps was right. There was definitely something unsettling about the salarian's jerky movements and his random bursts of laughter. He had even heard Saleon sing. Always it was the same song, sung in a queer, high-pitched voice that rivaled the old metaphor, 'Fingernails on a chalk board.' Where he had picked up on that particular Earth nursery rhyme was anyone's guess; Robbins vowed never to listen- let alone _think_- of it ever again.

Saleon came to a stop some feet away from Brock, his harvesters crowding his back. The tallest among them, easily the scariest due to its concealed face, casually withdrew a blood-stained, serrated knife. It fingered it slowly, reverently, as if simply waiting to strike. Robbins felt cold sweat break out on his brow. That harvester brought up images of Death. All it needed was a scythe.

Brock flung the cigarette to the ground with a curt gesture. "It's about goddamn time," he growled, approaching the salarian in two strides. "You think I've got all day to wait for you?"

Saleon looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh. His hands kept straying to his quivering lips. "No, sir, I do not," he replied, rocking back and forth on his heels. When he did laugh he covered his mouth as if in complete shock. "Apologies," he went on, lowering his hand and bestowing the boss with a wide smile. "I simply had to store my latest samples. You understand."

There was a tense moment, not unlike the standoffs in the old-fashioned Westerns Robbins liked, before Brock lashed out and had Saleon by the throat. Green blood trailed between his fingers as he squeezed. "All I understand is that you've kept me here for almost two hours. I'm not in the mood for your games." At his words Robbins and the others leveled their guns on the doc and his cloaked freaks. The harvesters growled but did not move.

Saleon's eyes shifted left, right, before he lifted a quivering finger and said, in halting tones, "Perhaps if you saw your new soldiers?"

Robbins wasn't sure what the salarian said or did, but the harvesters moved aside to allow ten of the strangest-looking humans, salarians and batarians passage. The last group caused some murmurs of surprise and protest. The asari looked visibly offended that Brock had requested batarians among their ranks. But Robbins wasn't bothered by their inclusion. It was the simple fact that all were pale-skinned and had piercing, yellow eyes.

Brock dropped Saleon to the ground as carelessly as the cigarette on his way to inspect the ten men. Again Robbins was overcome by unease. He glanced to and fro, half expecting to find himself staring down a sniper's laser sight. That was a ridiculous notion, of course. Passing his hand over his face, he told himself to get a grip. It was just that doctor and his freaks making him nervous. Nothing more.

The boss spent some time studying each merc. At last he whirled around on Saleon. He had regained his footing and watched Brock's inspection, looking for all the world like a proud parent. "I ordered twenty-five. Where are the others?"

"These have the strength of twenty-five," he insisted. He pulled a face. "I thought you'd be pleased."

Again Brock approached Saleon and had him by the throat. When he hoisted the doc off the ground, the salarian's feet wiggled erratically like a damn cartoon character's. "I don't care how strong they are. I paid you to make twenty-five, not ten." Saleon's struggle for breath quickened as Brock tightened his grip. "I don't like being played for a fool, Doctor." His smile turned malicious. "Looks like I may have to get my creds' worth from your pathetic hide."

"Ah!" Saleon gasped, his eyes widening. He suddenly did not seem that concerned how close he was to being choked to death. "You wish a demonstration? Yes, I can do that!" Moving far swifter than Robbins expected, the wiry doctor broke free and skipped- _skipped- _for one of the human super soldiers. He leaned in close, one hand cupped around the human's ear. Without warning he summoned a surge of biotic power and directed it at the asari. She barely had time to scream before she was lifted and slammed against the ground with a sickening crunch. Blood poured from her nose and mouth, crawling down the side of her face to join what was already soaking the ground. Robbins, as well as the others, were simply too stunned by the brutality to react.

Brock folded his arms over his chest and grunted. Ordinarily losing such a powerful biotic would have sent him into a rage. Robbins could only assume he had been impressed by the display. "All right, you crazy bastard," he said with fierce resentment. "If I didn't need men so badly I would have crushed your head between my bare hands, but you made your point. In the future, however," he said, turning to stare Saleon down. "Don't you dare try this again, or else I might not be able to control my temper."

"Wouldn't think of it!" Saleon promised, clasping his hands and bowing several times. The ten soldiers moved silently to join the ranks. Those who stood nearby quickly stepped away. Saleon then signaled his harvesters, the caressing way he called them 'darlings' causing Robbins to grimace. All but the biggest one began heading for the base. It approached the dead asari, bending over and throwing the body over its shoulder. Her head dangled at an awkward angle, bobbing up and down with each step.

Saleon sidled over to the boss. "Our business is done here?"

"Not quite," Brock replied severely. "Where's Commander Shepard?"

Saleon looked as if he hadn't understood the question. "Commander Shepard?" he repeated. He lifted his hands, tapping his upright fingers rapidly against the other. "Dead," he announced, unable to repress a smile. "I used her to make those men for you."

At this Brock's lips curled into a snarl. Robbins instantly came alert, as did the others. The echo of guns being trained on the salarian sounded all around. "I wanted her alive!" he barked. "I owe that bitch a long, slow death for what she and her pal Archangel did to Jaroth."

Saleon looked to be chewing on his fingers as he considered his answer. At length he threw up his hands. "See? She's dead to you! She won't be causing any more trouble. You should thank me."

Brock was definitely in no mood to be thanking anyone. Shoving the salarian aside with such force he backpedaled, arms flailing comically, the boss snapped, "Move out!"

Two sweeter words could never be spoken. The ten super soldiers flanked Brock, the others following suit according to rank. This left Robbins near the back, allowing him the best view of Saleon's enthusiastic waving before he departed. _The boss is right. He _is _a crazy bastard, _he thought, shuddering as the echo of Saleon's maniacal laughter followed him until he was out of sight. Shaking his head, Robbins hotfooted it after the others. That was when he heard it: the kickback on a high-caliber sniper rifle. He froze, his breath stilling in his chest. It was coming right for him. He could feel it. Death propelled by a small projectile aimed for the back of his head. But isn't this when he was supposed to see his life flashing before his eyes?

As the bullet hit true and his body jerked in response, the only thing he saw was the ground coming up fast to meet him. He was already dead by the time the explosion sounded.

* * *

Shooting the merc had gained their attention, drawing the others into Garrus' well-laid trap very smoothly. That first charge had seen to most of the Eclipse mercs and the mechs; those that managed to avoid being blown up immediately scattered for cover. Garrus, at first irritated that Saleon had managed to flee before he had the chance to set it, realized it wasn't the right time. Finding Shepard was far more important.

Ducking to avoid the hailstorm of bullets passing overhead, Garrus pulled out another charge and slapped it on the side of the crate the Eclipse boss had leaned on when he heard the familiar sound of a heavy mech's approach. Cursing under his breath, he bolted out of cover, overloading the mech's shields before running toward the base. He dodged discarded cargo and other supplies surrounding the place, letting his shields absorb the stray bullets that came his way. One hit true as he leapt over a fragile crate. He winced in pain, but pushed forward until he found suitable cover behind the shuttle. Peering around the edge, he quickly assessed the situation.

The heavy mech lead the way, unloading torrents of bullets. Flanking it were five other mercs, two of which were Saleon's super soldiers. Every instinct inside Garrus screamed he needed to find an ideal perch to pick those bastards off from afar, but he forced himself to wait. To be patient. This would only work if the mech got in range. _Come on, _he thought, his mandibles twitching in anticipation. _Just a little closer!_

Someone shouted to surround the perimeter. He glimpsed a pair of mercs splitting off from the main group. Garrus disregarded them; he'd get to those two later. The mech's heavy, thumping footsteps grew in decibel until- _yes! _Garrus called up his omni-tool, activated the charge and ran like hell. The crate, heavy mech and mercs were swallowed in a glorious display of pyrotechnics that would have made his old explosion expert proud. A wave of powerful energy then sent him sprawling face down in the dirt. Reacting swiftly, Garrus rolled over and shot to his feet. What he saw made him smile.

Pieces of the heavy mech lay scattered all around, sparks arcing into the air from the fractured chest plate and splintered arms. Nothing but charred skeletons remained of the mercs. He went to signal Kaidan to share his success when he glimpsed another explosion rising up from the north end of the complex. Garrus smiled at what it meant and sped for the entrance. Excitement raced through him, as potent as that first night with Shepard. They might just pull this off.


	8. Chapter 8

_All characters are owned by BioWare. _

Shepard, floating somewhere between sleep and awareness, could not decipher the loud roaring echoing all around her. But when it felt like her world turned onto its side, and she fell -hard- against the interior of the tank, awareness made a swift return. The place, wherever that may be, was under attack.

Opening her eyes, she found herself lying on her side, the glass in front of her cracked. Water seeped out, spraying the floor with mist. Beyond was a lab, much larger than the one on the ship, but no less horrifying. As for Saleon or the harvesters, there was no sign. Shepard seized the chance to escape.

She quickly wrenched the tubes from her body, wincing in pain as some came away with bits of flesh still attached. The wounds along inner thigh, abdomen and her sides screamed in protest at her sharp movements. Shepard pushed through the discomfort as she brought her legs up. Bracing her arms against the top of the tank, she began hammering the glass with her feet. The medi-gel gripped tightly to her, creating a pinching sensation, water sloshed into her nose and mouth, and her mind, already dulled from all the sedatives Saleon had given, seemed on the brink of collapse. _Sleep, _a tiny voice implored her. _Just sleep._ Shepard, recognizing it as the same one that had spoken to her during her weaker moments on Akuze, abruptly told it to be quiet. There was no giving up, not now, not ever.

Shepard gave one last effort; a single, large fracture appeared, followed by others. There was a brief moment where time stood still, then the glass gave way. Shepard was carried out on a current that tossed her to the cold floor with the force of a tidal wave. The wet, slapping sound her body made upon impact rang in her ears. For a moment she lay there, coughing up water until her eyes teared. Then, instinct honed over years in battle sent her scrambling out of sight. Wedging herself in the shadows between two flickering tanks, their occupants resembling humanoid figures made of putty, she took stock of her situation.

Most of the lab was in ruins. Computer terminals were upended, their screens blackened, cracked. Other tanks lay in piles, doors swinging open, bodies dangling on tubes like life-sized puppets. A vat in the corner had toppled as well, coating the floor in a thick, orange substance. Two collapsed operating tables pinned a drone she dimly recognized. When she understood her brows lowered, her teeth clenching against remembered agony. Aside from the automated arms inside her tank, this drone had also collected samples in Saleon's stead. The surgical knife still clasped in its hand bore traces of blood along the blade. _Her _blood.

Slipping from cover, she crab-walked for the fallen mech, all the while keeping an eye out for potential attackers. Once she yanked the knife free she set it in hand. Though it had been years since she wielded one, any weapon was better than none. The sharp chill in the air shook her, serving as reminder that she might want to invest in some clothes next. Yet the thought of pulling on anything over her feet, lacerated with small cuts as they were, made her grimace. She needed to tend to her injuries before she did anything else.

Her search for some medi-gel took longer than she expected. Most labs had them in plain sight. Saleon, it seemed, did not favor easy access to anesthetics. After she applied the cool gel where necessary she surveyed the cuts already present on her body. Some were still raw and irritated, as if samples had been taken the instant the skin was healed. Resigned to having more than a few new scars, Shepard tossed the empty container, took up the knife and left the tucked-away corner where she had found the station.

An active terminal caught her eye, momentarily deviating her from her want for clothes. Shepard swiftly hacked into it in the hope that it'd grant her access to the rest of the base, or even a rundown of available exits. What she found instead was an archive of messages between Saleon and someone named Brock (no doubt his contact with Eclipse), and none other than Harbinger. She scrolled through these messages, picking out dates and places. Her frown deepened. As she suspected. All corresponded to what she had been doing, and where. Only the final message made no mention of her at all, detailing instead the coordinates of the rendezvous point. She was not surprised that it had been Omega. Well, she'd have a little cleaning up to do as soon as she returned. One thing puzzled her the most. If Saleon had been tracking her too, why had he waited until after Harbinger's demise to strike?

A distant explosion brought her back to the present. Moving away from the terminal, knife hefted, she listened to the unmistakable sounds of battle in the corridor beyond. When the door opened she dropped into the shadows near an upright operating table. She remained perfectly still, waiting for the intruder- or intruder_s_- to show.

Three harvesters entered, shuffling their way to Shepard's tank. Upon seeing it empty they began calling her name with pitiable desperation. Shepard sought the much larger knife on the table, gripping its handle in her other hand while they continued groaning. She drew a deep breath, steadied herself, and sprang into action.

The thrown knife caught the middle harvester right in the back of the head. It gurgled noisily and fell forward. The other two spun round, eyes wide, mouths dropping open. She almost felt sorry for them, they gazed at her so stupidly. After a moment they charged. The sympathy lasted about as long as it took her to slit one's throat and drop the second by slamming the heel of her palm against its nose. The harvester's face imploded with a sickening sound. Blood gushed from the wound to coat her forearm, shoulder and left cheek. She had already moved on by the time the other two exploded, mismatched body parts raining down and hitting the floor with thick, moist sounds.

Shepard was searching the nearby storage lockers for either a gun or clothes when she heard another pair of footsteps. Bending over, her hand snapping up one of the knives from the floor, she hid behind a pair of cabinets in the corner. The newcomer's steps were slow, measured, indicating their careful approach into the lab. Whoever it was undoubtedly expected an ambush. Shepard flattened herself against the cabinet, her hand tensing on the knife as she waited. She saw the end of a pistol first, then a slender arm sheathed in yellow. Shepard's first thought was, _Good, a woman. My search for clothes just ended, _before she acted.

The knife plunged into the woman's forearm, forcing a sharp, pained scream from her. Shepard spun into the open, one hand gripping the merc's wrist as her other brought the knife up. The woman's hoarse cry of pain was cut short as the commander slashed her throat open. She dropped to the floor, her body going through its death throes while Shepard relieved her of her gun and spare thermal clips. She eyed the weapon with satisfaction, testing its weight in her palm. While not her own, she'd take it.

So involved in stripping the dead merc Shepard did not realize someone else had entered until a familiar, rumbling voice drawled, "Normally I'd question why you were standing naked in the middle of a room, but, all things considered, I can appreciate the view."

Shepard, who had been in the midst of bending over, whirled round with gun pointed. Garrus stood a short distance away, leaning to the side as he was wont to do, head cocked, his assault rifle shouldered. The light overhead sank into his eyes, allowing her to see the wry amusement in them.

She lowered her gun with a disgruntled sigh. "Dammit, Garrus," she began, trying hard to sound annoyed but unable to, not when her relief and joy at seeing him was so profound. She resumed pulling on the one-piece black bodysuit, shimmying it up and past her thighs. "Don't sneak up on me like that," she groused, sliding her arms through the sleeves.

He laughed at her complaint. "If I had, I'd be on the ground next to her," he countered, unapologetic as always. As she watched him stride forward she couldn't keep up with the pretense any longer. Damn but it was good to see him.

The moment he reached her side she turned, reached up to take hold of either side of his face and brought it to her level. As soon as their foreheads touched all the tension in her body- and his- fled. Garrus sagged against her, one hand coming to a rest at her waist, his relieved sigh reminiscent of a big cat's purr. For a time they remained that way, silently rejoicing in the other's presence.

"Shepard," he murmured huskily when she drew back. His hand crept up her side for her shoulder, as if he were about to embrace her. However, his palm brushed against one of the wounds there, causing her to flinch and shy away. The softness present in his eyes abruptly hardened. Without a word he called up his omni-tool, his breath catching in his throat. "What the hell did that son of a bitch do to you?"

"Nothing a bullet in Saleon's head won't fix," she answered roughly, turning away to collect the yellow armored pieces. She fit them into place with swift, jerky movements, feeling his eyes on her. She had seen the smoldering anger in them; it was something she shared. Now fully dressed, she faced him again, her shoulders squared. "Status report."

Garrus wasted no time in bringing her up to speed, his transition from concerned lover to soldier as impressive as ever. As she summarized what she had learned Garrus' expression gradually darkened. "That harvester of Saleon's is going to be difficult to take down," she finished briskly. "If we want the doctor, we'll have to go through it."

"Good," Garrus replied, locking a new thermal clip in place on his assault rifle with a swift, practiced gesture. There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes, not unlike when he finally got Harkin in a corner. Seeing it quickened her pulse. She had spent entirely too much time in that damn tank. Her body fairly craved the rush only battle could bring. It was time for some payback.

When he presented her sniper rifle and pistol she accepted them with with a sly smile. "Time to put all that target practice to good use," she commented, sliding the rifle home on her back.

His laugh was a low rumble deep in his throat. "Shooting these mercs is _definitely_ more satisfying."

She sent him a coy glance that promised other methods of satisfaction (to which he replied with an excited mandible twitch) before touching the communicator to her ear. It came active for the first time since her abduction, the relief that swept through her so surprising it left her momentarily dazed. It was at that instant she realized just how cut off she had been. Cursed with being the sole survivor on Akuze, she had an unconscious desire to be connected to her squad members at all times. "Kaidan? What's your status?"

There was a burst of static before Kaidan responded. "Relieved to hear your voice again for starters," he said, Shepard able to hear the smile in his tone. "I just set the last charge and I'm headed your way."

"Charge?" Shepard arched a brow at Garrus.

He held up his hands. "Hey, don't look at me. It was his idea. I just happened to bring them along."

She laughed in approval. "Careful, Kaidan," she teased, all the while eyeing the turian. "Don't let Garrus rub off on you too much."

"I'll keep that in mind, ma'am," came his dry yet amused response.

Shepard again looked to Garrus, who shrugged nonchalantly. But there was that in his eyes that spoke of eagerness to see this place destroyed. "Did you see any more Eclipse mercs or Saleon?" she asked, returning to the present.

"All the ones I saw were already dead. One of the charges I set took out most of those super soldiers, too. But I didn't see Saleon or the harvesters. Better be on the lookout," Kaidan advised.

"Hmph. Saleon probably has himself holed up somewhere with them," Garrus remarked. He grinned over at Shepard. "At least he'll spare us from turning the base upside down looking for him."

"Let's be sure to express our thanks," she drawled, and Garrus chuckled. "All right, Kaidan. Be careful on your way here. I want us all to get out in one piece."

"Will do, Shepard," he said and signed off.

Now that she had access to an omni-tool, she used it to copy the files from the terminal. Garrus began rooting through storage cabinets looking for anything useful. They had added a few extra clips and medi-gel packs to their supply when Kaidan arrived. Shepard's smile of greeting faded at seeing him favoring his right leg. Before she could question what happened, his arms were around her in a quick, hard hug. When he drew back he took in the Eclipse uniform with a single raised brow. His smile was amused, reminiscent of days of old. She found herself returning it. "The way's clear," he announced, gesturing over his shoulder. "We should set the last charges from the air."

"Hold it," Garrus said, lifting a hand when Kaidan prepared to move out. "We're not leaving until we find Saleon. Shepard has proof he was working with the Collectors. We need to take him out."

"Garrus-" Kaidan began, his brows drawing together.

"He's right," Shepard interrupted. Her business-like manner and tone brought Kaidan to attention. "This isn't a big place. He's got to be somewhere close by. For all we know, he's already sending his harvesters out to find me."

"So you know why he went after you?" Kaidan asked. Shepard nodded and proceeded to explain. When she was finished all resistance to staying had fled his eyes. In them she saw grim determination equal to her own. "All right. We need to move fast, though. The charges are set to go off in thirty minutes."

Garrus groaned. "_Now _you tell us."

"I didn't waste all mine blowing holes in walls for the sake of blowing holes," Kaidan countered with a slight smile. The teasing note in his voice gained Shepard's notice, then a smile touched her lips. Whatever animosity had existed between them must have been taken care of. Confident about their ability to succeed in tracking Saleon down, she signaled for the two to follow her. Both fell into step at her back as she led the way to the far door.

The corridor was unfamiliar to Shepard, leading her to believe the lab was located on the far side of the base. Evidence of Garrus' explosives could be seen all around. Cracks lined the walls, light fixtures hung perilously from wires, the creaking groan caused by their gradual swinging following them all the way down. The acrid stench of melted metal was heavy in the air.

Shepard called up her omni-tool, accessing the base map she had downloaded from the terminal. "There's a large room through that hall," she said, indicating a doorway to their left. She tapped in another string of codes, studying the data that appeared. "Looks like there's only one way in."

"Then that means there's only one way out," Garrus supplied with a nod. "How did you want to do this? You know he'll be throwing his harvesters at us."

"That's when we throw them back. Right, Kaidan?" Shepard said, meeting his gaze. He responded by pulling an energy drink from his pack and downing it. She smiled wryly, recalling the dinner she still owed him. When their eyes met his expression indicated he recalled the same. "Fortunately for us they blow up real nice, so they won't be too much of a challenge. It's the main one that concerns me. We should keep it off balance by-"

"Shh!" Garrus suddenly said, coming to an abrupt halt. When he pulled his gun she did the same. Kaidan followed suit, positioning it offensively as he shadowed Garrus, his steps slow and even. "Hear that?"

Shepard cocked her head. Cerberus' implants had amplified her hearing far above a normal human's, enabling her to listen past the echo of the swinging light fixture and faint explosions. It took a few moments, but soon she identified movement. Her eyes shifted to meet Garrus'. She indicated the door to their far right. At his nod she took the lead, pistol at the ready. Garrus and Kaidan pressed close to her, yet still maintained enough distance to allow her to react should the need arise.

The door stood partially open, the malfunctioning controls sending up showers of blue sparks. Shepard pressed herself to the wall, her gun hefted. Garrus immediately took his place behind her while Kaidan stood across. Slowly, she peered into the narrow seam between the doors, glimpsing what looked like a storage room. Crates of all sorts were scattered across the floor. Shepard narrowed her gaze, listening for movement again. There was a long, drawn-out creaking sound, as if something heavy were being moved into place. What followed was a distinct thud overhead. Remembering the way Thane had used the ducts in the Dantius Towers to literally get the jump on his target, she gestured for the others to aim for the ceiling. The panel directly above them trembled as the movement increased. Shepard tensed, preparing herself for battle.

With a suddenness that actually surprised her, the panel, as well as most of the ceiling, caved in directly atop Kaidan. He barely had time to cry out before smoking rubble stole him from view. Garrus latched onto Shepard and pulled her back when she prepared to jump to Kaidan's rescue.

The instant the dust settled she descended upon the debris, frantically tossing pieces of ceiling, pipe sections and wires out of the way. Garrus was next to her, moving just as rapidly as she. Upon glimpsing Kaidan's limp hand she latched onto it. "Kaidan!" she shouted. "Squeeze my hand if you can hear me!" She barely felt his fingers twitch, his response was so weak. Determined to get him out before he suffocated, Shepard grabbed onto the sectioned pipe directly at her feet. She glimpsed Garrus' hand closing over the left side when the wall to her right abruptly burst open. Through the billowing dust she identified a tall, broad-shouldered silhouette and a single, piercing yellow eye. Her shouted command to move was lost when Garrus circled her waist with an arm and shoved her out of the way. The Collector-harvester, obviously intended to attack her, launched itself at Garrus instead, driving both back.

Shepard swiftly jumped to her feet, pulling her gun and gripping it tightly. "Garrus!"

The turian grunted as he threw the Collector-harvester against the wall. It hit hard, head bowed as it started to slide for the floor. "Get Kaidan!" he cried. "I'll keep this thing busy long enough to-"

His words were cut off when the Collector-harvester drilled its head into Garrus' midsection, knocking him off balance. Draped at an awkward angle over its shoulder, he was helpless as the Collector-harvester rose to its full height, turned and lobbed him into the opposite wall. He hit so hard it actually dented. But he sprang back to his feet, meeting his enemy halfway. They grappled, hands curled around the other's so tightly Shepard actually witnessed streaks of blue and yellow blood trailing between their fingers. They remained like that for a few minutes before the Collector-harvester pushed Garrus clean through the wall. It leapt into the hole after him.

Muttering a curse, she left Garrus to distract their enemy and concentrated on freeing Kaidan. Desperation fueled her every move; she tossed, kicked, or shot debris aside so fast she barely realized how far she had progressed until she spotted Kaidan lying beneath a beam. She threw it off him and knelt down. His head lifted, his face screwing up into a grimace as she took hold of his wrists. "Talk to me," she demanded. "Kaidan!"

"...dammit!" he wheezed at last, pushing himself as much as he could to his elbows. Dust covered his dark hair so much it looked stark white. "Piece got me pretty bad...think my leg's broken."

"Just hold on," she told him, "and brace yourself. This is going to hurt like hell." Kaidan bowed his head in understanding. Shepard then dragged him along, wincing in sympathy when he gave a hoarse cry of pain. He managed to flip onto his side, one hand reaching toward his right leg. Shepard saw the bone poking through the rupture in his armor. Blood poured from the wound.

Taking his arm and looping it over her shoulder, she drew him upright. He groaned in pain as she led him into another room. There she set him on a crate as gently as possible before attending to his wound. He sucked in a breath. "That will have to do," she pronounced, rising to her full height. "But you're done. I need you to stay here. Got it?"

She knew Kaidan was soldier enough to know when he'd been bested. "Understood, ma'am," he said, giving her a half smile. She returned it and went to turn away when she felt him grab her hand. "Be careful," he cautioned. There was a haunted look in his eyes. "I don't think I could stand to lose you again."

Shepard approached him and, taking his face between her hands, planted a quick kiss on his lips. When she pulled away he stared up at her, partially in wonder, mostly in gratitude. "You won't," she assured him. Then, with gun in hand, she turned and sprinted away. Kaidan wasn't the only one worried about losing someone. As she neared the room where Garrus and the Collector-harvester were battling, she remembered how perilously close Garrus had come to dying back on Omega. She'd be damned if she let something like that happen again.

_Just hold on, Garrus. I'm coming!_


	9. Chapter 9

_All characters are owned by BioWare._

Normally in situations like this, Garrus had two things in his favor: strength and the toughness his species was renowned for. Throw in an increased resiliency to damage and heightened stamina, and he was more than a match for any opponent.

Only the Collector-harvester was tossing him about as if he were as flimsy as a salarian, rendering all advantages useless.

Garrus grunted in pain as he slammed against the wall. Though his armor absorbed most of the force from the impact, still he felt tremors traveling from the back of his head to his shoulders. The vibrations affected the right side of his face, adding to the nagging ache already present. It incapacitated him for a moment, forcing his eyes closed. When he opened them his enemy stood over him, its arm drawn back for a punch. Garrus, pushing past the veil the throbbing agony had cast over his mind, managed to catch the fist intended for his jaw. Forcing himself to his feet, he headbutted the Collector-harvester right in the face. Just before he leaned back, he heard the sharp echo of breaking bone and thought it the nicest sound in the galaxy. The blow stunned his enemy, allowing Garrus to reach for his holstered pistol. He'd had enough of this hand-to-hand combat. Time to put this thing down.

He had just drawn the weapon when the Collector-harvester, having recovered from the initial attack, smacked the gun from his hand and lunged forward. The next thing Garrus knew, he was trapped within the other's arms and lifted off the floor. But it was a clumsy hold, which enabled Garrus to free his right arm. He drove his fist into the Collector-harvester's left cheek with all the strength he could muster. Its head snapped to the side, arms loosening enough for Garrus to break free. He followed up by grabbing his enemy by the shoulders and hurling it into a stack of broken crates. It hit with a throaty growl and was on its feet before Garrus had the chance to think of his next move. All he could do was brace himself as it charged. The resulting impact sent him propelling across the floor.

He fell to his hands and knees, looking up in time to capture the Collector-harvester's wrists as it bore down on him. It snarled and gnashed its teeth, spraying spittle into his right eye. Its nose was nothing but a caved-in, bloody hole in the center of its face. Putrid blood spilled from it, dangling on thick streams of fluid that swung perilously close to Garrus' mouth. He headbutted it again, but that only seemed to make it angrier. The Collector-harvester leaned closer, gradually turning its hand within Garrus' grip until he saw the seeker embedded within the palm stir. The legs uncurled, extending past the surface of its hand. It tittered in a tiny voice, almost as if it knew what was about to happen. Garrus had no intention of being trapped in a stasis field and acted.

Straining from the effort it was taking to keep it trapped, he let out a strangled cry and shoved it back. The Collector-harvester's arms bent closer to its body, the seeker in its palm twitching nervously. The relief he felt was momentary; his left arm, already weakened from their battle, gave out. The Collector-harvester reacted with lightning reflexes. It reached for him, hand splayed open to show the seeker in its full glory. All Garrus could do was watch it descend, drawing closer, closer, to his face. At this proximity, he could see thick, pronged stingers emerge from the seeker's feet.

Rapid, light footsteps echoed across the way. Garrus caught a brief glimpse of yellow armor, the flash of a pistol, before a gunshot sounded. The bullet pierced the Collector-harvester's hand, punching a hole through the seeker with a fleshy crunch. Knocked off balance, it could not prevent Garrus from standing up, taking hold of its arm, and launching it across the room. It crashed into a metal shelf, toppling it and burying the Collector-harvester beneath various lab equipment. The items hadn't even settled into place when Garrus dropped to a knee, head bowed, his breathing labored. He hadn't felt this exhausted since Omega.

A moment passed, and Shepard was beside him, one hand straying to his shoulder. When she spoke his name he lifted his gaze to hers. Though they had only been separated for a short time, seeing her again was nonetheless profound. He could see the same feeling in her eyes. "How are you holding up?" she asked.

He managed a chuckle. "About as good as someone forced to fight a genetically enhanced monster _can _be. In other words," he added with a wan smile, "I feel like hell."

"You look like it, too," she observed with a frown. She touched the right side of his face. A sharp jolt of pain coursed from his temple to his right mandible, causing him to flinch. Her frown deepened. "Just as I thought. Come on, let's get out of here before that thing comes back. We don't have much time."

"What? We can't just leave it," he protested, forgetting all but the need to get rid of Saleon and his harvesters. Even the pain from his wounds seemed muted. "It's too risky, Shepard. Listen, I'm fine. Let me-"

"Absolutely not, mister," she interrupted firmly. Before he could respond she gripped his hand, very tightly. Her eyes flashed with anger and determination. "Damn it, Garrus, Kaidan's got a broken leg and you've taken a hell of a beating. If you think I'm going to wait around to see what else will happen you're wrong. We're getting out of here and that's that."

Conditioning to obey his superior officer's command superseded the distinct want to shoot Saleon. Though unhappy to be thwarted the opportunity, still he admired Shepard's instincts. She knew just what to say to get through to him. But before he could tell her so, he heard the shifting of boxes. Shepard, having also heard it, stiffened, her eyes narrowed. Glancing at the collapsed metal shelf across the way, he sighed and thought, _Too late._

* * *

The Collector-harvester burst from beneath the pile, scattering debris in all directions. Shepard and Garrus separated to avoid being hit. He steadied himself first, setting his assault rifle in hand and unleashing a stream of bullets. Pulling her gun, she joined in the onslaught, succeeding in blowing a chunk of its face off. Thick, yellow blood, more like pus, dribbled from the open wound. A foul stench permeated the air, strong enough to make her gag despite the distance between them.

Though it shuddered from each impact, and more bits were shot off, still it kept coming. She grit her teeth as she ejected another clip. This thing was as stubborn as Harbinger!

Thoughts of her old nemesis brought on another, which quickly turned into a plan of action the moment she spotted an explosive canister lying among the debris. Shepard signaled Garrus to keep shooting. He acknowledged her order with a nod. He backpedaled for cover, all the while keeping the Collector-harvester at bay. A concussive shot knocked it even closer to the canister. Once again in awe of how in sync they were during battle, resulting in a little rush of excitement to course through her, she called up her omni-tool and primed an incinerate blast. Just a little bit more, and-

With an infuriated growl the Collector-harvester leapt straight into the air, its robe billowing out like wings. It landed atop the section of cabinet Garrus used as cover, one clawed hand extended for him. Garrus brought his gun up with the intent to shoot, but the Collector-harvester grabbed its end and snapped it off in a surprising show of strength. Shepard then saw the glimmer of a knife and acted quickly.

Darting across the way, she aimed the incineration blast directly at it. The flames caught the end of its robe, traveling swiftly up the rest of its body. Garrus broke away, tossing the useless assault rifle aside and drawing his pistol. Both he and Shepard unloaded full clips into their writhing enemy. Screaming, it fell back, the flames quickly spreading to the rest of the room. The room grew so hot Shepard witnessed some of the metal paneling on the wall beginning to melt. She rushed over to Garrus, latched onto his arm and pulled him after her. Together they bolted from the smoking room, bursting into the hall just as an explosion sounded at their backs.

Shepard led the way to the room where she had left Kaidan. He was still seated on the crate, one hand gingerly touching his right leg. Perspiration cast a sheen upon his skin, and his eyes were glazed with pain. He needed medical attention, stat. "What happened?" he asked in a breathless whisper, wincing as she took his arm and looped it around her neck. "I heard an explosion."

"Just our way of saying goodbye to this place," she responded, winding her other arm round his waist. She pulled him to his feet almost effortlessly. She looked to Garrus, saying, "Take the lead. Get us out of here."

"Understood," he replied with a short nod. With that they hurried on.

The fire had set off more explosions, rocking the base to its very foundations. Along the way she could hear harvesters screaming her name in anguished voices. Suddenly they burst from side doorways, announcing their arrival with ecstatic moans before zeroing in on them. Shepard swore and yanked her pistol free. Garrus, dropping back to snatch the assault rifle right from Kaidan's back, hit the button to restore it to its true size and started shooting. Harvesters dropped left and right, exploding into dozens of pieces that ricocheted off the floor, walls, even their bodies. Shepard had no time to express disgust at having a dismembered hand slap against her thigh. She was much too busy dropping them.

When the last of them collapsed Shepard gestured for Garrus to keep moving. He slid the assault rifle home and hurried on, rounding a corner. Suddenly there was an explosion, swallowing him and his surprised cry in a cloud of smoke. Shepard, forced back to avoid inhaling the smoke, gave a hoarse shout of his name, Kaidan echoing it. For a long, tense moment neither saw any sign of Garrus. Her heart beat so fast it felt as if it were about to burst from her chest. _No. Oh, no, _she thought, her throat tightening.

A hazy silhouette appeared, moving gradually toward them until breaking clear of the smoke. At seeing the familiar broad shoulders Shepard heaved a relieved sigh. But the relief was short-lived. Garrus' steps were clumsy, his head bowed, one hand draped over his middle. Scenes from the Collector base flashed in her mind, rapidly alternating between visions of her squad mates dying on Akuze. Moving as quickly as she could, practically dragging Kaidan after her, she grabbed Garrus by the arm and drew him aside. One hand pressed against his abdomen. Blue blood streamed from between his fingers. "Garrus-"

"It's not bad," he rasped, applying medi-gel to it. The clear coating gripped to his wound, halting the blood flow. "A piece of the wall cut me as it went past. I was careless," he finished, sounding irritated.

Now that she knew he was all right the panic that had nearly taken control was reduced to nothing. "This whole place is a time bomb waiting to go off," Shepard reasoned. "Can we press on?"

"No. That way is blocked," he reported grimly. "We'll have to find another way out."

"Damn." Shepard frowned. "Do we even have the- Kaidan?" she asked, feeling him stir against her. "What is it?"

His head lifted, his dark eyes shifting to meet hers. "...make one," he murmured, slipping his arm away from her neck. When he attempted to take a step his expression screwed up into an agonized grimace. Shepard couldn't believe what she was seeing. What the hell did he think he was doing?

"Kaidan!" Garrus exclaimed, reaching out to steady him. Kaidan latched onto the proffered arm, using it for balance as much as to steer himself so he faced the blocked corridor. Shepard saw blue energy beginning to coalesce around him. Nearby objects started to tremble as they were caught in the field. Kaidan, visibly straining from the effort, slowly glanced over at her. _Get back, _his eyes implored. Quick to realize his intent, she tightened her lips, nodded and put some distance between them. Garrus, unable to seek cover due to his having to support Kaidan, sent her a look that fairly said, _How did I get myself into this?, _when Kaidan's powers flared.

Shepard heard Garrus grunt and Kaidan's sharp cry before she was forced to cover her face. Dozens of heavy objects collided noisily as they were thrown, heavy metal crashing into hollow containers, the harsh _ping _of canisters, the loud hiss of live wires tearing from the ceiling. Thick smoke billowed into the hall, stealing Shepard's breath and making her eyes water. Almost immediately a rush of wind dispelled it, carrying with it the scent of fresh air. Blinking back tears, she opened her eyes, first the right, then left.

Shafts of sunlight, speckled with dust, stretched across the floor. Garrus leaned against the wall, whole sections of his already-fractured collar blown off, Kaidan's limp body draped over his arm. Shepard approached them, her want to reprimand Kaidan for pulling such a stunt stilled by relief and admiration. His dedication to teammates was on par with her own; she should have known he wouldn't let his injury prevent him from helping. Garrus shared this trait.

"I never want to go through _that _again," Garrus remarked when she joined him. He rubbed at the right side of his face, Shepard quick to see blood staining the material. "Damn but that hurt!" he groused good-naturedly. "If he wasn't already unconscious I'd knock him out cold for it."

"Hey, didn't you tell me you could handle just about anything?" she countered in teasing tones, summoning her omni-tool to scan Kaidan. He had passed out, as Garrus said. Dismissing the glowing tool, she brushed the top of his head very lightly, silently conveying her thanks. "No sense standing around here anymore," she remarked. "Come on."

"Okay, but you carry-" Garrus cut himself off, his head snapping up, eyes alert. At hearing high-pitched, maniacal laughter Shepard spun on her heel, gun at the ready.

Saleon stood behind them, his hands wrapped around a pistol that trembled as he did. There was an insistent beeping coming from the apparatus he wore on his wrist. His eyes were wild, unfocused. Blood poured down from his brow, streaking both cheeks like the tattoos already present on his face. The stitches appeared raw, as if he had been scratching at them for some time. "No, no, no," he chanted amidst laughter. "Not leaving, Commander. Not yet. I will be immortal! I must do it before he comes!"

An explosion echoed far beyond, causing ceiling panels to crash down around them. Shepard glared at the crazed salarian. What was he getting at now? "Who's coming?" she demanded, aiming her pistol at him.

He laughed in absolute delight. "_He_ is," he replied, reaching up to claw incessantly at the stitches at his neck. Flesh came away this time, sticking to his fingertips like globs. "He wants you, but he won't get you! You're mine! _Mine!_" he emphasized, patting his chest as he moved closer.

Shepard halted his progress by lodging a bullet into his shoulder. He jerked awkwardly to the side, head bowed, voice rising on a gurgling laugh. Garrus stepped forward, pistol raised. "You're not going to succeed, Saleon," he swore.

Saleon lifted his head, wide eyes shifting from Shepard to Garrus and back to her. He then let off three poorly aimed shots. One bounced off the floor and struck the pistol right from her hands, sending it into a pile of burning debris. By the time she recovered she saw that Saleon used the opportunity to make a quick getaway. "Take Kaidan back to the ship and wait for me," she commanded, stripping Garrus of his pistol and ejecting the half-empty clip. "I'll take care of Saleon."

He looked ready to protest. But all he said was, "You better hurry. The charge is probably about to blow." His expression turned serious. "I don't want to lose you again."

It was not unlike what Kaidan had said to her before. Then, her heart had filled with a surge of affection for a lifelong friend. Now, as she stood across from Garrus, the feeling that coursed through her was a mixture of love and regret that he wouldn't be by her side. "You won't," she assured him, her voice thick with emotion.

He bowed his head, looking perplexed for a moment. Then he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. The sensation of his fingers grazing the side of her neck sent little shivers down her spine. Without a word he turned away, managing to drape Kaidan's unconscious body over his shoulder. She waited until he had vanished in the sunlit doorway before taking her leave. Slapping the pistol into place at her hip, she broke into a run, following the blood trail Saleon's shoulder wound conveniently provided. It was time to end it, once and for all.

* * *

Fire blazed in all areas, reminding Shepard of the _Normandy's _final moments. But, as back then, her every thought was attuned to the task at hand, leaving such things as fear, panic and unease behind. She simply couldn't afford to be frightened.

The blood trail led to a room that somehow managed to survive the explosions that riddled the base. Shepard ducked inside, her pistol at the ready. It was a second lab, only this one featured dozens of tanks along the walls. A single operating table was present, the knives atop it looking as if they had been arranged with purpose. The case containing the dismembered Collector arm stood at the foot, a pair of gloves beside it. She heard Saleon's cackling before she spotted him. He sat in front of one of the tanks, arms wrapped around his drawn knees as he rocked back and forth. Its interior light enabled Shepard to see the glob of flesh within. Tubes extended from all sides, orange liquid feeding into it and causing it to pulsate. Somehow she found it far more disturbing than the incomplete bodies she had seen earlier.

"Beautiful," Saleon murmured as she cautiously approached him. He seemed disinclined to acknowledge her, so absorbed in his observations. "Genetic perfection and immortality, existing within a single entity...so close, so close," he went on, extending a trembling, bloodied hand. By now Shepard stood in his line of sight, gun leveled with his forehead. This time he deigned to look at her. She noticed how the left side of his face was completely unresponsive to his expressions. It made for a very unsettling sight.

Struck by an unexpected feeling of pity, she lowered her gun. "Give it up, Saleon," she said quietly. "It's over."

"Over? Yes," he agreed. Very slowly he rose, left arm hanging limply at his side. The apparatus at his wrist warned of imminent degradation. He spared it a tired glance, then looked to Shepard. "My darlings, all gone. Without them, I will expire. This life is over."

Though her every instinct demanded she remain wary, Shepard took a step closer to him. His left leg trembled, as if unable to support him any longer. "Let me help you, Saleon. It doesn't have to end like this."

His right eye fluttered closed, the left looking anywhere but at her. "Ah, Shepard. I thought you'd never ask."

Shepard caught sight of the item in his right hand and reacted on instinct. He had just lifted it, mouth half hanging open in a guttural cry when she shot him between the eyes. Saleon fell backward, the impact rupturing the stitches at his throat. As his head came away from his shoulders the apparatus' warnings died in a single, drawn-out beep. She shot him two more times, just to be certain.

Emitting a relieved sigh, she turned her attention to the tank. While Saleon had not described the entity within, she had a very good idea of what it was. Angered and disgusted at his intentions, Shepard fired four shots into the power cords. The tank went dark. A moment later, the glob dropped to the bottom with a subdued thud. Feeling justified, she strode away from the dead salarian for the operating table. She was about to destroy the Collector arm when a very familiar, very distinct voice, sounded directly behind of her. Her heart skipped a beat. _No, impossible!_

Whirling round, Shepard witnessed the Collector-harvester, preceded by the sickening stench of burnt flesh, amble into the room. Its footsteps dragged, head tilted back, eyes flashing bright yellow. Its whole body was blackened, bisected by glowing red crevices. Shepard immediately started shooting. "You cannot escape the inevitable, Shepard," Harbinger declared, unaffected by the bullet storm she was orchestrating. He kept moving forward, head lolling to follow her as she dropped back. "Resistance is pointless. You know this."

Shepard wasn't going to waste time in verbal byplay with Harbinger. She'd had enough of him already. Calling up her omni-tool, she sent an incineration blast for him. It swallowed Harbinger's body in a column of fire. What should have been a surefire way to kill him was rendered useless as the overhead sprinklers, responding to the smoke in the room, activated. Harbinger emerged from the flames so charred the human half of the body it possessed nothing but a skeleton. The Collector half, however, was still intact. Shepard saw it preparing to shoot her with a biotic blast and dove behind a tank. It shuddered from the impact, jarring her senses.

Peering around the edge, she unloaded a full clip at Harbinger, one hand upon her ear. "Garrus!" she cried, flinching as Harbinger sent another biotic attack her way. "I need some help here! Tell me you're- ahh!!" The words died in her throat the instant she was thrown by the blast. Struggling to her hands and knees, she lifted her head, having to push back her water-soaked hair. Harbinger had not stopped his gradual approach. His left hand was aglow with energy. She braced herself for impact.

The far side of the wall abruptly caved in, Saleon's body and the remaining tanks buried beneath rubble. Shepard had a glimpse of the front end of a ship before scrambling to her feet and running for it. Clamoring up the debris, she lifted her head at the sound of a doorway sliding open. Garrus emerged, one hand extended for her. She latched onto him, allowing him to pull her to her feet. He regarded her soaked uniform with lifted brows. She didn't give him the chance to question what wasn't important. "Get us out of here!" she shouted the instant she stood within the ship. Garrus hurried to do so. Shepard remained where she was, pulling her sniper rifle and taking shots at Harbinger until the craft lifted safely off the ground. She had a fleeting glimpse of a ball of yellow energy headed their way when the doors closed.

Tossing her rifle onto the floor near the couch Kaidan was laid out on, Shepard rushed to the cockpit. Garrus sat in the pilot's seat, jerking his head in her direction as she threw herself into the second seat. "Was that Harbinger I saw?"

"It was," she responded darkly. "Get the weapons ready. I want that base a smoking hole when we're done."

"Got it."

Garrus turned the ship round, the exterior view nothing but a blur of color before the base came into sight. The charge Kaidan had set chose that moment to go off, sending the entire north side in on itself. Fire had already laid claim to much of the south, extending to the Eclipse shuttle. Of Harbinger, there was no sign. Shepard wasn't going to take any chances. The instant Garrus announced the weapons were online she punched the button, waiting for the fireworks.

There was a groaning from below, but of any fireworks, there were none. "That can't be right," Garrus said, a note of shock in his voice. He tried again, with the same results. "Damn!" he cried, slamming his fist on the console. "Must have overloaded the system when I fired on the base. I'll have them back online in a few."

"Don't bother," Shepard said, her hands flying across the keys. "Take us to the _Eternity."_

"Why go there- huh," he murmured, realization entering his gaze at seeing she had called up the ship's schematics stored within the computer. "I never would have thought of that," Garrus commented thoughtfully. He glanced over at her and offered a smile. "Guess that's why you're the one in charge."

She nodded, her smile wry. "Don't you forget it."

"I'm afraid of the consequences if I _do _forget."

Leaving Garrus to pilot the ship, she ventured to check on Kaidan. He was sprawled on the couch in such a way it seemed that Garrus had just plunked him down. She began to arrange him in a more comfortable position when she heard his murmur of her name. Kneeling on the floor beside him, she reached for his hand. Kaidan's eyes squeezed shut, his mouth turning down in a grimace. At length he opened his eyes to gaze upon her. "...safe?"

"Yes. Go to sleep," she encouraged. Kaidan heaved a sigh, smiling a little when she touched his brow before he lapsed into unconsciousness.

"Shepard," Garrus called, "I just spoke to Miranda. They're waiting for you."

She acknowledged him, then touched the communicator at her ear, switching to the channel that connected her to the ship. "_Normandy, _this is Shepard," she announced. Almost immediately a chorus of relieved voices sounded, but Miranda's rose above them all.

"We're getting a read on your location, Shepard," she informed her, her normally calm voice carrying an urgent edge to it. "Is Garrus right? Are there Collectors there?"

"I can explain everything when we get back," Shepard replied. The relief at being connected to her entire squad again was invigorating. "Right now we have some unfinished business to take care of. Have Chakwas and the medical staff on standby. Kaidan needs to be looked after the moment we return."

"Understood, Shepard." There was a pause. "It's good to hear from you again. You had us all worried, especially Tali and Chakwas. Joker, too, though he'll be the last to admit it."

Shepard chuckled. "I'll be sure to give him a great big hug when I get back. Shepard out."

By now the ship had left Lorek, the cloud streaked blue sky giving way for the more familiar view of stars. _Eternity _was a mid-sized elongated silver blip on their screen. Shepard eased into the second seat again, her mind going over recent events. Saleon was dead, his research destroyed and harvesters eliminated. She had stored copies of archived messages exchanged with Harbinger. Further study could point them in the right direction when it came to seeking the Reapers out. Shepard was fairly certain that wherever Harbinger was, the others weren't too far behind. But before that, there were allies to be gained, technology to be shared and new, more powerful ships and weapons to build. Through Tali, there was the entire Migrant Fleet. Legion, the reprogrammed geth. The rachni queen had also promised assistance, if she was interpreting its message correctly.

Why, then, did Shepard feel uneasy? This unnatural quiet she experienced before the thresher maw showed up was exactly the same.

A blip on the view screen caught her attention, drawing her from her thoughts. What she saw made her frown. Someone was aboard the _Eternity, _and had brought the weapons system online.

"It's got a lock on us! It's firing!" Garrus reported.

"Evasive maneuvers!" she shouted. He steered the ship hard left. Shepard gripped the edge of her seat, watching the twin missiles follow their trajectory. She held her breath. This fight wasn't over yet.


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note: All characters are owned by BioWare. I'd like to thank everyone for sticking with me on this. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!_

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* * *

  
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The rear end of the ship lurched as the missiles made impact. Garrus doubled over, nearly slamming his head against the console. Shepard, for her part, was thrown from her seat. She hit the floor hard, the resulting impact crippling her with pain. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to her hands and knees, nodded to Garrus' urgent, 'Are you all right?'. Ahead, Kaidan had been propelled from the couch. He lay on his side, back pressed against the far wall, one arm draped over his middle. Just imagining the sort of agony he was enduring helped her push past her own, and she scrambled to his side without delay.

"Easy, Kaidan," she murmured, her arms sliding around his upper body. He groaned when she eased him upright. The ship shook again, forcing her to tighten her hold on him. She needed to find a safe place to secure him. Someplace that would offer protection for the firefight to come. Her searching gaze fell upon the entrance leading to an escape pod. She set her jaw. There was no safer place as far as she was concerned.

"Garrus!" she shouted above the blaring alarms. She hefted Kaidan over her shoulders. Despite weighing nearly twice as much as she and in armor, supporting him this way was no burden. "Open the escape pod!" He threw a surprised glance at her over his shoulder. However, the instant he saw Kaidan understanding entered his gaze, and he obliged. Shepard hurried into the pod, setting Kaidan down and locking the safety harness in place. She patted his shoulder in quick farewell before hurrying back to the cockpit.

"Let me get the weapons back online, Shepard," Garrus insisted the moment she stood beside him.

"Do it," she ordered, gripping his shoulder. "I'll take the helm."He nodded and quickly abandoned the seat, his heavy tread fading in the wake of an opening door. Shepard slid into the chair, a part of her absently noting how warm it was as her hands moved across the console. Only after she had control did she recount all the years that separated her from now and the last time she piloted anything. _Can't worry about that now, _she reminded herself. Thankful Kaidan was strapped in and Garrus could handle the inevitable bumps and bruises, Shepard prepared to dodge the incoming attack.

* * *

"We cleared the relay. ETA fifteen minutes," Joker announced. He depressed several buttons. "Comm-channel's got static again."

Miranda stood at his shoulder, her hands on her hips. She smarted at his last words. What in the world could be disrupting their communications like this? "Can you restore the connection?"

"Long-range sensors are still damaged," EDI reported. "I have managed to maintain a lock on Shepard's current location, though I am experiencing some difficulty in keeping it."

"More interference?" Miranda suggested.

"None that prevents me from following her signal. The data I have gathered indicates that Shepard is in constant motion. I cannot determine why at this time."

"Stay with her as long as you can, EDI," Miranda insisted. "We didn't just get her back only to lose her again."

"Acknowledged."

Not entirely happy with events but satisfied, Miranda went to to turn away when she spotted Legion. Normally the geth spent its time in the AI core or in engineering overlooking repairs. She prepared to ask why it wasn't when she sensed something urgent in the way the jointed flaps on its head moved above its single flashing eye. "What is it?"

"We can assist in providing analysis of what is happening," Legion began. "It will require us to interface with EDI."

Miranda hesitated. She had never quite gotten over her initial unease about Legion; to her, it was the same as inviting a Reaper on board. But even she could not deny its commitment to Shepard or their cause. "I should have considered using you before," she admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Apologies are not necessary. You are organic, and all organics harbor the same fear of inorganics," Legion replied. "The ship will not be endangered by the exchange of data."

The utter logic of its argument made Miranda feel needlessly ashamed of her own instincts. Rallying, she smiled a little. "Well, since you put it that way, I'm not sorry."

"We do not expect you to be." Taking her words as an assent, Legion stepped past, coming to a stop at the terminal on the left hand side of the wall. Miranda nodded permission for the interface to begin. "Data received," Legion announced after several moments. "Playing now."

Everyone in or within the vicinity of the cockpit was treated to what sounded like the shifting of cargo, the faint but recognizable echo of weapon's fire, and, most shocking of all, Commander Shepard's normally reserved voice raised in outright frustration. Snippets of conversation followed.

"-taking so long? You said you'd have them ready!"

"-be easier if I wasn't being thrown around down here, Shepard!"

"Can the retorts, mister! I'm trying to keep us _alive_!"

Garrus' reply was cut off by a loud burst of static. It filled the acute silence in the air. Joker snorted in amusement. "Aw, isn't that sweet. It's their first fight," he remarked. He glanced up at Miranda and said in all seriousness, "You know we should be recording this for posterity."

The few titters of laughter she heard were cut short when the static faded, and Shepard's voice cried, "-coming around again! Hurry-!"

"Playback ended," Legion stated above the crackling static.

Miranda frowned. "We have to get there fast," she insisted to Joker.

"Another eight minutes. Hey, I can't just zap us there by waving my hand," he groused when she shot him an annoyed glare. "Ship's engine took a beating. We're lucky we made it this far."

"You've had a _month _to fix it," she snapped. "You can't tell me that with everyone working round the clock, it's still not at one hundred percent."

"Jeff is correct," EDI interjected. "The damage was extensive. Repairs are ongoing as we speak."

Joker sent Miranda a smug, _See? I was right _look that made her sigh in exasperation. She folded her arms over her chest. "Keep monitoring them, Legion. I don't like the sound of what's going on there."

* * *

The data pad Garrus held launched itself from his hand- again- forcing him to abandon the partially gutted terminal and chase after it- again. Managing to snatch it before it slid out of reach, Garrus returned to the console to resume his work. No easy task considering how often the ship jerked in accordance to Shepard's erratic steering.

He double-checked the pad, then plugged in the necessary component. A blast that struck the belly of the ship launched him a few inches from the floor, resulting in his hitting the top of his head against the underside of the terminal. He grunted, less from pain and more from honest astonishment that for all Shepard's talents, flying was _not _among them. Or driving, for that matter. The _hours _he spent fine-tuning the Mako after a planetside mission...

Garrus couldn't keep from laughing. Lessons were definitely in order. That is, if they survived whoever the hell was shooting at them.

"I hope you have good news for me," Shepard remarked over the shipboard comm. "I can only dodge these attacks for so long."

Garrus verified the settings. "The news is better than good," he informed her. "Just a few calibrations and- there!" he said with satisfaction, watching the panels light up. He secured the exterior panel in place. "They're all yours, Shepard. Personally, I'm glad that your aim is better than your flying."

"Laugh it up, Garrus," she retorted, teasing affection in her tone. "Just you wait until- damn!" she cried, all humor gone from her voice. "Brace for impact!"

Garrus barely had time to react to her command, for within seconds he was launched across the room. Parts clattered along the floor, tumbling, sliding, until crowding him as the wall abruptly met with his back. As he righted himself he heard the groaning of moving parts and glanced up. Sections of the ceiling collapsed, sparking debris occupying the space he had been so rudely evacuated from. _Damn, that was close._

Regaining his footing, he tossed the data pad aside and rushed to the cockpit. The acrid stench of smoke preceded his arrival; by the time he passed through the doorway he started coughing. Shepard, her cheeks blackened and bleeding, was hastily emptying the hand held fire extinguisher on the main control panel. He was beside her instantly, catching the one she tossed his way.

"The son of a bitch hit us with a surprise shot," she explained, her voice strained with anger. "Controls are shot." She glanced over at him. "Get to the escape pod with Kaidan. It's going to eject in five minutes."

Garrus, acknowledgment on the tip of his tongue, stopped short as her words registered. "Shepard, you can't do that!"

She turned her back, accessing a panel on the wall and quickly entering codes. "I may not be able to fly this thing well but I should be able to distract them long enough for you to get away," she went on, ignoring his comment. Every time he tried to approach her she moved out of reach. "What the hell are you waiting for, Garrus?" she demanded, shooting him an impatient look. "Get out of here! Now!" she insisted, going to the opposite side of the room and calling up her omni-tool.

As Garrus watched her feverish movements, he thought of finding his squad dead, two of which were barely holding on, soon after Sidonis laid his trap. The only two emotions he remembered feeling were anger and an overwhelming sense of guilt. Shepard was different. Emotions stronger than anger, more gripping than guilt, laid claim to his heart. He had been helpless to prevent what happened to her on the original _Normandy. _Not this time.

Without a word he approached Shepard, took hold of her waist, earning a surprised cry of his name, before lifting her off her feet and half carrying, half dragging her to the escape pod. "What do you think you're doing?" she shrieked, pushing against him with both hands. She scraped her boot heels along the floor in a feeble attempt to impede his progress. "I gave you an order!"

"In case you didn't already know," he countered, glancing over at her and smiling at her narrowed, flashing eyes. "I'm not a very good turian. When I hear a bad order, I _don't _follow it."

He stepped into the pod, turning and placing her in the seat next to Kaidan. After he lowered the shoulder harness he met her gaze. Challenging her. For an instant he believed she was going to throttle him. He had only seen that dark, dangerous look directed at enemies. But then the faintest smile appeared on her lips, and he exhaled in relief. She wasn't going to kick his ass for insubordination after all.

The pod abruptly jettisoned, the movement propelling Garrus backward. Shepard shouted his name as he hit the wall above the second set of seats. He briefly felt the sharp jab against the side of his head before everything went black.

* * *

"Garrus!" Shepard called again, struggling to free herself from the shoulder harness. It wouldn't budge. The only time it would was when someone released the lock on the pod's exterior panel. Cursing at her forced helplessness, she gazed down at Garrus. He lay on the floor at her feet, one arm over his head, the right side of his face hidden from view. A small pool of blue blood formed around his chin. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not.

Brilliant light shone from beyond the port hole. Shepard quickly glanced over, witnessing Kaidan's ship getting torn to pieces from a barrage of missiles. _Eternity _shifted, rising above the burning, descending wreckage, their imminent doom disguised as a space-faring vessel. Its weapons charged once more. Shepard sucked in a breath, waiting for the inevitable.

The _Normandy _suddenly came into view, its hull glistening from the light cast by the system's star. It cut through the darkness like a sleek bird of prey, angling sharply to the left. The Thanix cannon emerged from beneath the main hull, letting loose a single, powerful stream of energy that consumed what was left of Kaidan's ship on its way to the _Eternity. _The beam punctured the conveyer from nose to end within seconds. The ship exploded soon after, raining parts into Lorek's atmosphere.

"Calvary's here, Commander," Joker announced with barely concealed pride. "Coming about to pick you up now," he explained, Shepard seeing the _Normandy _turn as he spoke. There was a brief pause before he gave the casual, off-hand remark of, "Sometimes I wonder just what you'd do without me." She laughed at his jibe, much too relieved to remark or reprimand. It was then she heard Garrus' pained grunt as he slowly eased onto his elbows. When he looked over at her with some confusion, she gave him a tired smile, sank back in her seat, and closed her eyes. It was over.

* * *

_Two days later..._

"They're healing very nicely," Chakwas observed with a smile. She carefully applied fresh bandages over each of Saleon's incisions, smoothing the material into place with her fingers. "But I still don't recommend any undue physical activity, Commander. You may risk opening them up again."

"I'll do my best," she promised, chuckling as she added, "I can't say the same for anyone who might start shooting me."

"Such is the life of a soldier," Chakwas responded sagely. She collected the used bandages, empty medi-gel packs and strode away to dispose of them. Shepard took the opportunity to put her clothes back on. She had just zipped her shirt up when the doors opened, admitting Miranda. She bestowed Shepard with a grateful smile only slightly tempered by exasperation.

"You really do make it a habit to court death," she commented dryly. She approached Shepard, handing off the data discs she held. The commander recalled assigning Miranda with downloading all data from her omni-tool immediately after they were rescued- and then had flat passed out. "I haven't read all of them, but it looks like Harbinger was only using Saleon to get to you."

"'We will find another way,'" Shepard quoted softly, recalling Harbinger's last words as she, Garrus and Tali had fled the collapsing base. She accepted the discs and pocketed them. When she spoke, her tone and expression were serious. "Saleon wasn't his first agent, nor will he be the last. I hope to get to the next one before something like this happens again."

Miranda nodded her agreement. "Jacob and I have already sent messages to our contacts. They're going to report any scrap of news or evidence referring to the Reapers."

"Good work," Shepard complimented. She turned when Chakwas spoke her name, taking the small vial of pain pills she handed off. Thanking her, she and Miranda departed the medbay. The crew deck was deserted. Now that their commander had returned, repairs were underway once again. The distant echo of whirring tools resonated in the air. "What of the others? I was kept in lock down for the past two days."

"It was the only way Chakwas could be assured peace of mind," Miranda responded with a small smile. "Garrus refused treatment and sleep until he knew you were stabilized. The doctor had to sneak in a shot to sedate him so she could work in peace. That turian is just as stubborn as you are," she added with a lifted brow.

Shepard smiled at the truth of her statement. "Where is he now?"

"Sleeping it off in the crew quarters," she answered, gesturing to the corridor beyond the elevator. "Last night Chakwas tended to him, and she has every confidence he'll pull through. So will Kaidan Alenko."

At this Shepard exhaled in relief. Of them all, his had been the worst of the injuries sustained. "How is he feeling?"

"He's doing quite well. I hear Tali has been spending a lot of time with him," she replied, sending Shepard a knowing smile. "I had no idea she thought so highly of Alenko."

Neither did Shepard. Still, the news was welcome, and she smiled. "I'm glad she was there for him. He went through hell during that rescue."

"You all did," Miranda reminded her. Once they reached the door to her office she looked past Shepard's shoulder. "You'll find Alenko in the starboard observatory. He's been there ever since the doctor cleared him to walk. I think you should speak with him."

"That was my plan. Thanks again, Miranda," she said, indicating the data discs. The former Cerberus operative smiled, then vanished through the doors. Shepard walked down the short corridor, rounding the elevator toward the entrance to the starboard observatory. She had just reached the doors when they opened, revealing Samara. The asari bestowed her with a kindly smile, saying, "I shall leave you in peace," before stepping past. Shepard inclined her head and continued on.

Kaidan, dressed in his armor despite its battered appearance, stood before the vast expanse of window, head angled back as he surveyed the stars. He turned as soon as she took her first step, his dark eyes shining with relief. Shepard met him halfway, laughing slightly when he captured her in a fierce embrace. "Shepard. I'm so glad you're safe," he whispered in her ear, his arms tightening around her.

She squeezed him in response, then drew back. "I was more worried about you, Kaidan. I hear Tali's been taking good care of you."

"Ah. Yes, she has," he replied, looking a bit flustered. He cleared his throat as he sank down onto one of the chairs. Shepard settled herself beside him. He contemplated his clasped hands. "I just wanted to let you know that I plan on messaging Anderson requesting he send someone to pick me up."

"Don't bother, Kaidan," she said, holding up a hand. "We would be glad to bring you back to the Citadel."

"I know," he replied with a nod and small smile. "I feel like I've overstayed my welcome. Please, hear me out, Shepard," he insisted when she prepared to speak. He turned to face her, his hands seeking hers. For a moment he simply stared at her, as if wanting to forever remember the conversation they were about to have. "I've been doing some thinking. A lot has happened to us over the past two years. Wishing for the old days doesn't change the fact that we have traveled different paths and..." he gave her a sad smile. "I don't think they'll ever meet again the way they once did."

She shook her head. "Kaidan-"

"What you're doing, what you're planning to face, requires someone to be here for you no matter what," he continued as if she hadn't spoken. He pressed her hand, his sad smile transforming into one of happiness. "Garrus is the one, Shepard. He'll never leave your side, even if you order him to. I know you," he said, his tone softening as he reached up to touch her face. He trailed his fingers down her cheek, one after the other. "You're so busy worrying about everyone else you forget about yourself. Garrus won't let you forget. And I'm grateful for that."

A long moment passed, all of which was spent with Shepard staring at Kaidan in partial awe. Never before had she heard so accurate a description of what drew her to Garrus, what kept them standing strong no matter the situation. There hadn't even been a need for admission of love; it was already spoken for, simply by the way they'd look at each other. To hear Kaidan admit that Garrus was better for her than himself spoke of his enduring trust and belief in the turian. When he smiled at her, she returned it. "Thank you, Kaidan," she murmured. "It means a lot to hear you say this."

"I mean every word," he assured her. "Remember, if you need anything from me, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

She smiled again. "Thank you," she repeated sincerely. "What will you do now?"

"When I return to the Citadel I plan on educating the Council of the Reaper threat," he replied, leaning back in the chair. "I've already requested a copy of the data you obtained from Saleon's personal terminal. It's not concrete evidence of their existence, but it's a start."

She nodded. "I don't envy you the trouble Udina will give you over it," she commented wryly. She reached over to grip his shoulder. "Anderson may be just an adviser but he still pulls a lot of weight. He'll have your back."

"It's a good thing, too. I think Udina will probably start referring to me as another you," Kaidan responded with a small smile. "I won't mind. I consider it a compliment."

Shepard laughed, told him to be careful before leaning over to give him another hug. Kaidan embraced her, turning his head so lips brushed her hair. When they drew apart he regarded her with a tiny smile. Understanding the conversation to be over, Shepard rose from the chair and headed for the exit. She was about to leave when Kaidan called her name. Glancing at him over her shoulder, she smiled as he said, "Tell Garrus he'd better take good care of you. I don't want to have to come out here to set him straight."

Laughing at the teasing remark, Shepard nodded and took her leave. She paused in front of the crew quarters, briefly debated on checking on Garrus before deciding against it. She continued on to the elevator, stepping in and selecting the first level. They'd catch up later tonight.

A few moments later she passed through the entrance to her cabin, her gaze averted as she thought of all that still needed to be done. At hearing a throat being cleared she glanced up, completely unsurprised to find Garrus seated on the edge of her bed. He had forsaken his armor for his civilian clothes, though Shepard noted that he had already removed his boots and gloves. "The crew quarters are unsuitable for you now?" she teased, arching a brow at him.

He gave a casual, unapologetic shrug. "The beds there aren't nearly as comfortable as this one."

She smiled and sealed the doors. His mandibles flared in anticipation, his eyes gleaming as she tossed the data discs, along with the painkillers, onto the table and descended the steps. Garrus' gaze followed her hand when she reached up to undo the zipper at her collar. There was no thought of Chakwas' warning of undue physical stress. At that moment all they had endured came to a head, leaving her in a state of incredible relief tempered by strong desire. Garrus, reading her as he always had, murmured her name and reached out to draw her onto his lap. A contented, throaty purr sounded when she wound her legs around his waist. Their foreheads touched, Shepard's eyes sliding closed at feeling Garrus slip his hands beneath her open shirt to rest on her hips. Contentment washed over her, and she sighed happily.

However, the silence was soon broken by a song that was better suited for Afterlife. Laughing and shaking her head at Garrus' helpless smile, she took hold of his shoulders and pushed him onto the bed. He'd never learn.

And she wouldn't want it any other way.


End file.
